Despite his excellent start with the Boston Red Sox, Rafael Devers isn't winning any awards for his body of work this season. After the Red Sox traded the slugger to the San Francisco Giants, his offensive production took a serious hit.
Still, the corner infielder has a chance to make some rare MLB history. A Reddit post from user Crazy_Baseball3864 noted that Devers was traded after he played his 73rd game for the Red Sox, and he debuted in San Francisco in the Giants' 73rd game of the year. If Devers plays in all of the Giants' five remaining games, he'll post 163 games this season. The nine-year MLB veteran has never played an entire 162 game season before, but seems primed to do one better.
The American League expanded its schedule from 154 to 162 games in 1961, and the National League did the same the following year. Twenty-seven players have logged 163 games since the AL's expansion.
Devers is in line to post the first 163-game season since Dustin Morneau did so with the Twins in 2008. Morneau's 163rd game came due to an American League tie breaker game. Todd Zeile logged 163 games in 1996 due to a midseason trade, like Devers', according to Maria Guardado of MLB.com.
Rafael Devers could post 163 games this season due to Red Sox/Giants trade
Around the time of the Devers trade, the Giants were embroiled in a tight race for first place in the National League West, alongside the Dodgers and Padres. San Francisco has since fallen out of contention for the division, but remains in the mix for a Wild Card spot, especially as the Mets continue to falter.
Devers has played 26 games at first base for the Giants, and he's split his playing time between the infield and DH since they called up their top first base prospect, Bryce Eldridge. San Francisco's manager, Bob Melvin, has said he wants to get Devers into every remaining game to get him up to 163 on the year, even with Eldridge in the mix.
“We might have to try to make that happen,” Melvin said. “He just likes to play baseball. He really does. I think the DHing probably helps, too, to be able to play 162. But I didn’t know that. That’s pretty cool.”
Many Red Sox fans still have love for Devers after the trade and would hope to see him make MLB history. Hopefully, the Giants continue playing hm, even if they're eliminated from playoff contention some time in the final week.