There is still a lot of head scratching going on in Boston following the trade of slugger Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants. The Red Sox have been playing their best baseball of the season, but the idea of them mounting a run at the American League East title without the hard-hitting Devers in the lineup seems to be a major stretch. Meanwhile the addition of Devers to the Giants lineup should provide quite a bit of added power.

Devers hit his first home run in a San Francisco uniform in Saturday's game against the Red Sox. He blasted a two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning off former teammate Brayan Bello, and that gave the Giants a 3-0 lead over their American League visitors.

Devers had grounded out in his first at bat in the game, and he failed to get a hit in any of his five at bats in Friday night's 7-5 loss to the Red Sox. However, Devers easily measured a low, outside fastball and blasted it a couple of rows deep into the bleachers. Devers took a home run stroll that Red Sox fans have grown very familiar with throughout his career in Boston.

He was clearly pleased to hit his first home run for the Giants and the fact that it came against the Red Sox after the surprising trade had to feel good. The home run gave the Giants a 3-0 lead. When Devers came up again in the fifth inning, Bello struck out his former teammate.

Devers says he will play first base for Giants

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Devers had been the Red Sox third baseman for eight seasons, but when the team acquired Alex Bregman shortly before the start of spring training, Red Sox management told that Devers that he would serve as the team's designated hitter.

Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas suffered a season-ending knee injury in early May, and management asked him to pick up a first baseman's mitt and learn the position. Devers had no interest, saying he had been told he was the team's designated hitter.

After Bregman suffered a right quad strain a couple of weeks later, Devers did not go back to his old position either. As a result, it appeared there was an impasse between the star player and the team. That impasse remained in place until last Sunday, when the Giants sent four player to Boston — including two pitchers — to acquire the three-time All-Star.

Now that Devers is with the Giants, he says he will learn first base and play the position for the Giants. Red Sox fans are wondering where that attitude was when he was wearing a Boston uniform.