NEW YORK, NY — Earlier this year on the night of Saturday, February 1st into Sunday morning, February 2nd, the National Basketball Association ignited the sports world into pure pandemonium as the Dallas Mavericks dealt superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Leaving fans across the globe shocked, this past Sunday evening, June 15th, while families celebrated Father’s Day with their loved ones, Major League Baseball underwent a similar scenario on a stunning blockbuster trade between the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants, headlined by three-time All-Star Rafael Devers heading to the Bay Area.
Boston acquires: RHP Jordan Hicks, LHP Kyle Harrison, OF James Tibbs III, RHP José Bello
San Francisco acquires: DH/3B Rafael Devers
Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
With the news breaking two hours after the Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees at Fenway Park, to improve to 37-36 on the year, inching closer to an American League Wild Card spot (0.5-games back from the final AL WC spot), those both in and outside of the baseball industry were left shellshocked…
“I can’t believe Boston would trade Devers with the year and career he has had with them,” said one longtime baseball scout in a text as the reports surfaced.
Another texted an hour after the trade, “Even though there have been some rough patches with him and the new front office (referring to Devers not opting to play first base when asked), the Red Sox could have figured this out with their $300+M franchise superstar. Now, he’ll have GM Buster Posey and manager Bob Melvin in his corner and all of San Francisco.”
Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The more one wonders on the behind the scenes of this deal, questions develop more and more, such as—why would Boston not field more offers from teams who would most definitely be interested or wait closer to MLB’s Trade Deadline or perhaps this coming offseason—times where front offices are more desperate to fill in a need and give their respective fan base a sign of hope in contending?
Similar factors and aspects those on the outside questioned regarding the Mavericks-Lakers trade for Luka Dončić, are now doing the same with the Red Sox-Giants deal for Devers…
Later into the hours of Sunday night, sources revealed the Giants will pay the remaining $254 million of Devers’ 11-year/$331.5 million contract extension, which he signed with Boston in January of 2023.
Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The 28-year-old of Sanchez, Dominican Republic, a two-time Silver Slugger award winner, has posted a .272/.401/.504 slash line over 73 games this season with 15 home runs, 58 RBI, 33 extra-base hits and 56 walks.
For his nine-year career as a Red Sox, debuting on July 25th, 2017, and a 2018 World Series champion with the organization at 21-years-old, Devers compiled 215 homers (10th all-time in franchise history) with 1,136 hits and 696 RBI, making for a beloved homegrown star in Boston.
Now, that’s no longer the case.
The same occurred for Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts—two World Series champions—who both became fan favorites during their tenures in Boston before it was cut short in 2020, trading Betts to the Dodgers while not opting to re-sign Bogaerts in 2022, as he departed for San Diego.
Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Three former Red Sox franchise superstars—now competing against one another in the National League West division.
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