The Devers Trade

The 2025 Giants are (mostly) Farhan Zaidi’s team. Buster Posey added Willy Adames in the off-season, a big move to be sure, but also a move that was a near-consensus prediction by baseball’s punditry. In other words it wasn’t shocking or surprising. It was actually the safe, non-controversial play, perfect for a rookie at the helm.

Trading for Rafael Devers in mid-season is something else entirely. This is Buster Posey donning his Superman cape! Just kidding, but it is more like something A.J. Preller of the Padres would do. It’s what the scribes like to call a “blockbuster.”

But this is life in the NL West. Look at the Diamondbacks—they signed Corbin Burnes in the off-season to a mega-deal and now he needs Tommy John surgery. But it was the right move at the time. They needed to beef up their rotation if they wanted to stay competitive. The Giants have to beef up their lineup if they want to stay competitive.

Buster and the Giants send four players to Boston: Kyle Harrison (who was supposed to start tonight), Jordan Hicks, James Tibbs (A+, OF/1B), Jose Bello (Rk, RHP). Devers will be 29 in October. He’s a legit star. He came up as a third baseman but when the Red Sox got Alex Bregman Devers moved to DH. He’ll likely DH with the Giants. He’s a lefty slugger with a career .279/.349/.509 slash line in 1052 G (4545 PA). He’s tallied 273 doubles and 214 homers in his nine seasons (he debuted as a 20-year old in 2017).

Devers signed a huge deal (10 yrs, $313 M) in 2023 season that covers the 2024-2033 seasons. The Giants are taking on the whole enchilada. I’ve been saying for years that the team can afford this stuff so it is OK with me if they want to spend some of those gigantic piles of moolah they’ve been sitting on. Funny that the Red Sox are parting ways with a guy who signed a “face of the franchise” kind of contract. But that’s baseball—it’s a business, after all.

Devers comes with a media tagline of “disgruntled star” because he wanted to play third base and not move to DH. But then he was fine and accepted the role and has hit well this year (.271/.400/.494). When the Red Sox talked about him playing first base, he balked. So, he got the “disgruntled” label. As long as he disgruntles to the tune of 30 HR and 100 RBI or something along those lines I’ll be happy.

Anyway, it’s a big price to pay for a big bat, and it is a big commitment. But Buster Posey is not just a ballplayer and a PoBO, he’s a finance major. He understands all that accounting rigamarole. I’m sure the books will be balanced and they’ll have more heaping piles of moolah to spend later. That is, this is MLB. Stud players cost money. If the Giants want to be a playoff-caliber team, then “spend money on quality players” is a really good plan.

This trade is possible because (1) the Giants are doing well in the standings and (2) they have a bit of a surplus in the pitching department. It’s too bad they have to give up on Harrison, him being a local boy and all that, signed out of HS, etc. But you have to take risks and give up talent to get talent. The two prospects traded included the Giants #1 pick last year (Tibbs) and a flame-throwing 20-year old (Bello).

The Giants needed hitting and the Red Sox needed pitching. Let’s hope it works out!

And by the way the Giants lost 5-4 tonight in LA.

Off-day tomorrow, then home for three with Cleveland and then Boston on the weekend.

–M.C.