Regardless of how Boston Red Sox fans feel about the team's decision to move on from Rafael Devers, it'd be hard to argue that the trade has gone well for the Sox.
Devers has found his rhythm with the San Francisco Giants. He's posted a .242/.353/.456 slash line with an .809 OPS with 16 homers over 77 games, and his 3.8 bWAR is higher than Alex Bregman's. Jordan Hicks has been nothing short of a disaster in Boston, with an 8.20 ERA, a 1.98 WHIP, 15 strikeouts and 12 walks in 18.2 innings. Kyle Harrison has made just one start, and the Sox traded outfield prospect James Tibbs III for Dustin May, who hasn't pitched well all season and he's currently on the injured list.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has taken plenty of criticism for his return in the Devers trade. Sure, the Giants ate the slugger's entire contract, but that doesn't help the Red Sox get any better, especially if the front office spends as poorly as it has in the recent past. Plenty of fans were upset that the Red Sox didn't get San Francisco's top first base prospect, Bryce Eldridge, who could've taken over for Abraham Toro at the time of the deal.
The Giants have summoned Eldridge to make his MLB debut on September 15 (first reported by Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle), so Boston may finally see what it missed out on. The 20-year-old joins the team in the middle of its Wild Card chase, which has recently been made easier due to a choking Mets squad.
Giants to promote top first base target Bryce Eldridge, one of Red Sox's dream targets in Rafael Devers trade
An @sfchronicle exclusive: Giants calling up top prospect Bryce Eldridge to help their playoff bid https://t.co/vbWCPFQqx0 via @sfchronicle
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) September 15, 2025
Eldridge is San Francisco's No. 1 prospect, and it outright refused to include him in any negotiations (and did so easily since the Red Sox had absolutely no leverage). The 6-foot-7 first baseman would've been an excellent addition to Boston's already young squad, especially since he can hit for power and it lost its best home-run hitter in Devers. The Red Sox already have a slugging first baseman in Triston Casas, but he's been hot and cold at the plate, as well as injury prone since his debut in 2022.
Eldridge began his 2025 season in Double-A, and he was promoted to Triple-A Sacramento on June 3. He's slashing .260/.333/.510 with an .843 OPS over 102 games on the season (including two games of a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League). He's belted 21 doubles, 25 homers and logged 84 RBI.
The Devers trade isn't an abject failure for Boston yet, but it's trending in that direction. If Devers and Eldridge become stars across from each other in San Francisco's infield, as they're expected to, it will be huge factor in how the trade is remembered by fans of both teams.