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The Boston Red Sox just shocked the entire baseball world when they traded their best hitter, Rafael Devers, to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. With Devers gone, the Red Sox are down two key hitters as Alex Bregman is still recovering from an injury. The team has plenty of time to make a run, so the trade comes as a bit of a surprise. No matter the case, Devers is out of Boston, and the Red Sox are going to have to win without him.
After the weekend sweep over the New York Yankees, Boston sits one game over .500 with a 37-36 record. The Red Sox are 6.5 games back from first place in the American League East division, and just a half game back from a Wild Card spot. Despite trading away their best player, Boston is still very much in the playoff picture.
Trading Devers seems to be a financial decision. Devers is owed $27 million next season, and $28.5 million every year after that until 2033. Now, the left-handed hitter had some hesitation about switching positions to first base. He wanted to play third base, but Alex Bregman took that spot from him. Trading him was an inevitable move for the Red Sox to make.
With him gone, are there more trades for Boston to make? Is the team ready to go full seller mode, or will they try to make a run to the playoffs?
Boston's Return for Rafael Devers
The Red Sox received a few good players for their star player. Jordan Hicks will look to get his season back on track at Fenway Park. left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison is a former top prospect. James Tibbs III was San Francisco's first round pick in 2024. Right-handed pitcher Jose Bello has a very high ceiling.
None of these four players will be on the big league roster right away, though. Hicks is dealing with an injury at the moment, Harrison was optioned to Triple-A right after being acquired, and Tibbs and Bello are both a little bit a way from being Major League ready.
It is a good return in terms of talent, and taking Devers' salary off the books is going to help the Red Sox in the long run. Not having the power hitter is going to hurt for the time being, but at least two of those players should be able to make an impact in the future.
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Red Sox trades if they become sellers
The Red Sox should not become sellers. They are in the playoff hunt, and there are still some players that can step up in the absence of Devers. However, there is a chance Boston starts losing games, which would make them sellers at the deadline.
If that is the case, there are plenty of players the Red Sox could get a great return for.
The one player that could get a few good prospects in return is Aroldis Chapman. Chapman is a free agent after this season, so it would make sense for Boston to dump him for prospects. There are always playoff teams that need bullpen arms to shut down the game in the late innings. Chapman has been that guy this season.
On the year, the big lefty has thrown 29.0 innings, allowed opponents to bat .157 off him, and he has struck out 39 batters while walking only nine. Chapman owns a 1.55 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and he is 12-for-13 in save opportunities. He would be a massive asset for a team looking for a closing pitcher heading into the summer months.
If Boston is going to trade another player, Chapman should be the guy.
