Subscribe
Follow Us
Baseball rarely gives us cinematic moments on demand, but this weekend in San Francisco might just come close. On Sunday night, the Giants stunned the baseball world by acquiring three-time All-Star Rafael Devers from the Red Sox in a trade that’s already shaking up the sport. Now, just days later, the Red Sox are headed to Oracle Park for a three-game weekend series. That’s right — Devers will face his former team Friday night in what could easily be dubbed the “Rafael Devers Revenge Series.”
It’s the first time Devers will suit up against the franchise that signed him as a teenager, developed him into a star, and handed him a $313.5 million extension — only to sour the relationship and ship him out barely a year later. That awkward dynamic? It won’t have time to simmer. It’s about to boil over.
The Devers deal didn’t just come out of nowhere — it erupted. San Francisco sent a hefty package to Boston: Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks, prospect James Tibbs III, and right-hander Jose Bello. The Giants also took on the remainder of Devers’ massive contract, which runs through 2033. The price tag alone raised eyebrows, but Devers' bat makes it worth the gamble — he’s slashing .272/.401/.504 with 15 homers and 58 RBIs, tied for third most in MLB.
Rafael Devers brings the bat the Giants lineup needed
For Boston, the deal marks another painful chapter in a trend of stars being shown the door — Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, and now Devers. The tension with Devers had been building since spring training, when the club asked him to move off third base after signing Alex Bregman. Later, following an injury to Triston Casas, the Red Sox asked him to play first base. Devers refused. Internal drama escalated, culminating in the deal.
Now, the Giants have their guy — finally. After years of missing out on stars like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, San Francisco landed a legitimate franchise cornerstone. Devers may be parked at DH long-term, but the Giants didn’t trade for his glove. They needed his thunder in the heart of a lineup that ranks middle-of-the-pack in runs scored.
For Devers, there’s something poetic about this timing. After years in Boston — highlighted by a World Series title in 2018, multiple All-Star nods, and Silver Slugger hardware — his first shot at closure will come just days after the breakup. It’s a new chapter for the Giants, a fresh start for Devers, and a reminder that baseball, at its best, writes drama no screenwriter could dream up.
The Red Sox-Giants series begins Friday night at Oracle Park. You might want to mark your calendar — revenge, after all, plays well in primetime.
