Rafael Devers may have worn out his welcome in San Francisco in less than a year.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale listed the San Francisco Giants as one of the teams to watch ahead of the MLB trade deadline, and Devers as a name that could be on the move. Nightengale wrote that the Giants would “love” to offload Devers and the remaining $226.5 million on his contract. He adds, however, that it is unlikely any other team would take on the deal.
The deal comes less than a year after the Giants landed Devers from the Boston Red Sox in a shocking trade. At the time, the Red Sox were roundly criticized for giving up on the player most saw as their best player after an early-season disagreement over his position.
As it turns out, the Red Sox may have known what they were doing. He hit .236 after moving to the Giants, and is hitting only .232 with four home runs to start the 2026 season. The Giants still owe the 29-year-old $226.5 million through 2033, and the production is absolutely not justifying the contract. It does not help that Devers did not look like he was in the best shape of his life when he arrived at spring training, either.
The Giants expected to contend this season, but are off to a 16-24 start and facing an increasingly hostile reception from fans. The roster, as constructed, has not worked, but they may be locked into it for a while because of immovable contracts like the one Devers has.
