Shocked Clubhouse, But SF Joins Up With Zheng Huadames Chapman, Upgrades Offensive
Jun 16, 2025
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The San Francisco Giants signed Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers in a surprise move.
Shortly after the away game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on the 16th (Korea time), San Francisco signed star slugger Rafael Devers through a trade with the Red Sox. Pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison gave up minor league outfielders James Tipps and right-hander Jose Beyo," the official announcement said.
Devers, from the Dominican Republic, is Boston's leading hitter and made his major league debut in 2017 and played third base until last year, before serving as the designated hitter this year. He played in 73 games until the 16th of this season and recorded a batting average of 0.272 (74 hits in 272 times at bat), 15 homers, 58 RBIs, 47 runs, 56 walks, an on-base percentage of 0.401, a slugging percentage of 0.504 and an OPS of 0.905.
In January 2023, he signed a 10-year, 313.5 million-dollar extension contract with Boston and was guaranteed his status until 2033. San Francisco will have to take over Devers' contract and pay about $250 million for the remaining eight years and four months.
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ESPN said on the day that `Rafael Devers is going to the Giants? In an article titled 'We Evaluate Shocking Blockbuster Trade', we analyzed what the trade means for both teams.
Reporter David Shoenfield, who wrote the article, gave San Francisco an A- and Boston a C. San Francisco is said to be a much more profitable trade.
Reporter Shoenfield said 'The effect of this trade is clear to Giants and Buster Posey. The Giants got their strongest hitter since Posey's heyday. Posey was the best power heater since Barry Bonds. The last Giants batter to hit 30 homers in a season was Bonds (2004), and Devers had 30 homers three times. Devers' on-base percentage has increased tremendously this season, reaching 0.401, higher than his career 0.349. If we walk like now, our offense can be raised to the next level.
Of course, there are potential problems. Devers lost his third base position in Boston and ended up breaking up, and San Francisco also has a big third baseman. Matt Chapman, who is on the injured list due to a sprained right hand, needs to adjust his position with Devers when he returns from rehabilitation for about a month. Even if he moves to first base, Dominic Smith, who joined San Francisco earlier this month and is doing his part, is holding out, making the first baseman ambiguous.
Reporter Shoenfield predicted, however, that the most likely scenario is that Devers will continue to be the designated hitter, and Wilmer Flores, the original designated hitter, will move to first base.
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Reporter Shoenfield also said 'Oracle Park is a stadium where home runs are rarely hit, but Devers hit a high batting average at Fenway Park and hit more home runs on the road. He said that the easy double he got against Green Monster could be lost at Oracle Park, so his batting average could drop, but the power itself will remain the same.
San Francisco is fiercely competing with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres in the NL West. It seems clear that the power has been upgraded in that it has added to the weight of the lineup by recruiting a top-class left-handed slugger. Hicks and Harrison, who gave up to Boston, went 2-6 with a 5.85 ERA in a total of 21 games this season. It's not like the starting lineup has become weak.
San Francisco players who traded in this trade expressed both surprise and anticipation.
Ace Logan Webb was "Harrison was a longtime acquaintance. You will be missed. But this is baseball. The batter who comes to us will change the lineup."
MLB.com says the Giants, who have Willy Adames, Chapman and Lee Jung-hoo on long-term contracts, are in second place, two games behind the Dodgers. The Giants hired Devers with all their might to go beyond the Dodgers,' he commented.
Willie Adames said "Devers is a very good player and a teammate. I think there must have been a misunderstanding in Boston. He wants communication. I'll have a conversation with him. The Buster boss here is a straightforward man. Don't try to hide it. There must be communication in the way Devis likes it."
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
