One year after the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants stunned MLB with the Rafael Devers trade, both sides experiencing regrets. The Giants' may be the worst of them, as they agreed to take on all the money in the remaining nine years of Devers' mega-contract.
Devers hasn't performed up to expectations since his move to California, as he's posted a .235/.323/.438 slash line with 36 doubles, a triple and 29 homers over 162 games with San Francisco. He's struggled so much that the Giants are already listening to trade offers for him (and some of their other highest-paid players).
Devers' regression and the sheer number of years remaining on his contract could make it difficult to ship him elsewhere, but he's been one of the league's best hitters throughout his time in Boston. Another team looking for a DH or some extra pop in their lineup could be willing to make a big swing for the three-time All-Star.
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report broke down the best candidates for the Giants' stars on the trade block and his choice for Devers will make Red Sox fans' skin crawl. He proposes that the Toronto Blue Jays trade for Devers to take the designated hitter spot from a struggling George Springer.
Bleacher Report names Blue Jays as best trade hit for former Red Sox star Rafael Devers
The Giants have tried, largely unsuccessfully, to turn Devers into a first baseman. He's posted two outs below average and 23rd percentile range at the position and his OPS drops from .841 in the DH spot to .662 when he takes the field. Toronto has Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to play first base with upper-quartile range, which could comfortably make Devers their DH. He and Guerrero would be a deadly combination in their lineup, the last thing the Sox need.
Devers' return to the American League East would break Boston fans. Not only would it hurt to face him in four series per year as a division rival, but seeing him beat up on the New York Yankees in a rival's uniform would be too much to bear.
The Red Sox have been severely lacking in home run power since shipping their former third baseman away. They ranked 27th in home runs in the second half of last season and their 59 home runs this season rank second-to-last. Seeing Devers rake for the Blue Jays would make Boston's power outage feel even more severe.
The Blue Jays have the need for power and the money to take Devers on. Hopefully they're turned off by his regression and avoid trading for a struggling former rival who's swing is better suited for their ballpark.
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