Amid their hottest stretch of the 2025 MLB season, the Boston Red Sox shockingly traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants. In return, the Red Sox received a package including Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, James Tibbs III, and Jose Bello. While Harrison and Tibbs are somewhat promising, many view this return as underwhelming for a player of Devers’ caliber. Boston reportedly did NOT shop Devers around the league, despite wishing to trade the two-time Silver Slugger for an extended period. If the Red Sox approached the Devers trade differently, they presumably could’ve brought in a better trade package.
Phillies receive: Rafael Devers (Receive 75%)
Red Sox Receive: Alec Bohm, Andrew Painter (Phillies #1), Alan Rangel, Jean Cabrera (Retain 25%)
While Boston would unwillingly eat a portion of Devers’ contract, this return from Philadelphia has a good argument to be more compelling than what they received from San Francisco. The Red Sox add their coveted controllable pitching depth, headlined by top prospect Andrew Painter.young pitchers, Boston adds another first base option with a formidable bat in A Along with the lec Bohm, with the flexibility to play all over the infield.
Mets Recieve: Rafael Devers (Recieve 100%)
Red Sox receive: Mark Vientos, Christian Scott, Brandon Sproat (Mets #2), Will Watson (Mets #29)
The Mets make sense as a potential trade partner for Devers due to their willingness to take on his entire contract. This deal would provide the Red Sox with a talented hitter and 3B/1B/DH in Vientos, who’s shown a willingness to move around and off the diamond if the team were to ask. Boston would also receive some young pitchers close to, if not already, MLB-ready, and a young prospect to stash away. This trade would give Boston impactful players in 2025 with the potential to grow in future years.
Giants Receive: Rafael Devers (Receive 75%)
Red Sox Receive: Bryce Eldridge (Giants #1), Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison (Retain 25%)
While this deal features one less player, two being from the actual trade, the addition of Bryce Eldridge completely changes the context of the situation. The 6’ 7 power hitting 1B would fill a void in the Red Sox pipeline, and potentially DH as well. While Hicks is a salary dump and Harrison hasn’t produced at the MLB level, they have the potential to impact the 2025 team and play a role in the future. What was missing in the original trade was the major prospect pedigree you’d expect in the Devers trade, and Eldridge provides that. In this version, Boston takes on a portion of Devers’ contract due to the inclusion of Eldridge.
Ultimately, there are mixed opinions on the Red Sox’s decision to trade Devers, but one thing is clear: the talent acquisition was underwhelming for a player of his caliber. Many factors play into this, including the state of Devers and his contract as a DH, and Boston’s reluctance to shop him around the league. Ultimately, their approach to trading Dever’s cost them the maximum value they could’ve received.
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