Red Sox send Devers to Giants for ex-Blue Jay Hicks, three other players: Reports
Lefty pitcher Harrison, pair of minor-leaguers also going to Beantown in trade ripped by media, Boston fans
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The Red Sox have reportedly traded another face of the franchise for a seemingly less than stellar return, causing an online uproar among Boston fans.
Three-time all-star third baseman Rafael Devers, who was moved to designated hitter at the start of the season after the Red Sox acquired Alex Bregman, is off to San Francisco for pitchers Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison and a pair of minor-leaguers in a deal that was first reported by FanSided’s Robert Murray.
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Despite the turmoil in Beantown, Devers had been enjoying arguably his best season with the Red Sox, hitting .272 with a .401 on-base percentage to go with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs. He also helped clinch a series sweep over the hated rival Yankees Sunday afternoon by homering off New York ace Max Fried.
However, he had continued to butt heads with the Red Sox braintrust in recent months by shooting down a request to move to first base after the Triston Casas injury and even telling the front office “they should do their jobs essentially and hit the market and look for another player.”
The 2018 World Series champion and two-time Silver Slugger, who turns 29 in October, still has eight years remaining on the 10-year, $313.5-million deal he signed with Boston in 2023. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Giants will cover the more than $250 million remaining on that deal.
Hicks, 28, a former flamethrowing Toronto Blue Jays righty who was converted to a starter in San Francisco before a recent demotion, is part of the package going to Boston after posting a 1-5 record with a 6.47 ERA this season with the Giants, including 43 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings.
Also included is lefty starter Harrison, 23, who was a third-round pick by the Giants in the 2020 draft. He has a career 9-9 record in the majors with a 4.48 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 182 2/3 innings.
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The prospects going to Boston include outfielder/first baseman James Tibbs, a 2024 first-round pick ranked as the No. 4 player in the Giants’ minor-league system, and right-handed pitcher Jose Bello, a 20-year-old playing in rookie ball this season.
The stunning deal was immediately ripped by media personalities and the Red Sox fan base, which watched superstar Mookie Betts get traded to the Dodgers in 2020 for a paltry return and shortstop Xander Bogaerts walk in free agency after the 2022 season.
“Red Sox sweep Yankees but can’t let fans feel good about the season for more than 20 seconds before trading Devers for a bag of baseballs,” Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, who was born in the Boston area, posted on X alongside a video ripping the team for the trade.
Plenty of fans directed their ire at general manager Craig Breslow, calling the trade “atrocious” and demanding the team fire him despite the Red Sox (37-36) sitting a half game back of an AL wild card spot.
Even some front office executives expressed their shock to Murray in his report on FanSided with one National League source asking, “Did you get hacked?” An agent, meanwhile, asked Murray, “That’s all the Red Sox got?”
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