Purple Sox commerce three-time All-Star Rafael Devers to Giants in blockbuster deal
BOSTON — The Boston Purple Sox traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday in a deal that might shake up pennant races on each coasts.
Devers’ agent, Nelson Montes de Oca, confirmed the deal to The Related Press. ESPN reported that the Giants are sending Boston a package deal of gamers that features pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison for the 28-year-old designated hitter, who had bristled at his demotion from third base this yr.
The Giants had been one sport behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers heading into Sunday night time’s matchup between the NL West rivals. San Francisco shortstop Willy Adames stated on the ESPN broadcast that the staff came upon concerning the commerce 15-20 minutes earlier than the sport.
“Everyone’s so excited,” he stated in an on-field interview whereas taking part in the sphere within the second inning. “Me, personally, I’m like thrilled to have him on the staff. He’s probably the greatest hitters within the sport, and to have him on the staff, I believe goes to assist us do numerous injury within the division. Clearly we’d like a bat like him on this lineup.”
A 3-time All-Star who signed a 10-year, $313.5 million contract with the Purple Sox in 2023, Devers is batting .272 with 15 homers and 58 RBIs in 73 video games, together with a solo shot in Boston’s 2-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday that accomplished a three-game sweep.
However his relationship with the staff started to deteriorate when the staff signed Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman throughout spring coaching and requested Devers to maneuver to DH; he balked earlier than agreeing to the swap. When first baseman Triston Casas sustained a season-ending knee harm, the Purple Sox approached Devers about taking part in the sphere and he declined, saying the entrance workplace “ought to do their jobs” and search for one other participant.
A day after Devers’ feedback to the media about taking part in first, Purple Sox proprietor John Henry, staff president Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow flew to Kansas Metropolis to fulfill with Devers and supervisor Alex Cora.
The state of affairs grew to become harder when Bregman sustained what the staff referred to as a big proper quadriceps harm on Could 23.
“Everyone across the league, I believe, was listening to that. When any staff is having some sort of drama like that, with a participant like Devers — he principally was the face of the franchise,” Adames stated earlier than he was interrupted by Tommy Edman’s residence run that gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.
“We’re thrilled to have him. Everyone’s excited. So we’re going to make him really feel at residence,” Adames stated. “I really feel prefer it sends a message that we’re going to compete. That we’re going to do no matter it takes to come back over right here and win the division.”
The Purple Sox have gained 5 out of six in opposition to the rival Yankees during the last two weekends to enhance to 37-36, however they’re nonetheless fourth within the AL East, 6 1/2 video games behind division-leading New York.
Devers was 20 when he made his main league debut with the Purple Sox in 2017. He helped the Purple Sox win the 2018 World Sequence and led the staff in RBIs for 5 consecutive seasons from 2020-24. He has completed within the prime 20 in voting for AL MVP 5 occasions.
Devers shouldn’t be the primary Purple Sox All-Star to be traded away: The staff despatched Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier than the 2020 season in a wage dump — only a yr after he gained the AL MVP award and led Boston to a franchise-record 108 wins and its fourth World Sequence title since 2004.
However the Devers deal is probably most harking back to the 2004 midseason shakeup when Boston traded disgruntled shortstop — and fan favourite — Nomar Garciaparra to Minnesota.
The Purple Sox went on to win the World Sequence that yr, ending their 86-year championship drought.
That is the newest large transfer by Buster Posey, a seven-time All-Star who took over as San Francisco’s president of baseball operations in September. He signed Justin Verlander to a $15 million, one-year contract in January and Adames to a $182 million, seven-year deal in December.
“It makes them higher proper now, for certain,” Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw stated in a TV interview from the dugout at Dodger Stadium. “Buster Posey’s actually doing it. Good for Buster over there. He’s going for it. I’d think about Raffy one of many prime 10 hitters within the sport, at worst. He’s undoubtedly a game-changer. It is going to be attention-grabbing to see what place he performs over there.”
