Shades Of The Luka Trade: Out Of Nowhere The Red Sox Sent Rafael Devers To The Giants In a Salary Dump

Jaiden Tripi. Getty Images.

Major League Baseball just had its version of the Luka Doncic trade. Out of nowhere, Rafael Devers is now a member of the San Francisco Giants. It all started with a tweet from Robert Murray at 6:51PM EST which no one on Earth seemed to believe. This gentleman was certainly hacked. 

Even when we got some more details, it still felt fake. Eventually someone else would barge in and say "no, no, no guys come on how could you believe that garbage?"

But then Jeff came in with the sledge hammer. Yep, this was actually happening. 

I mean holy fucking shit. The Red Sox just completed a sweep of my New York Yankees and had gained all sorts of new life to their season. They were right in the thick of the AL Wild Card hunt and not dead at all when it comes to the AL East. Why not them as we reach mid-June? A few hours later they traded their franchise player for virtually nothing. 

Sure do the Sox need pitching depth? Absolutely, but this is for all intents and purposes a salary dump. Ever since the acquisition of Alex Bregman, Devers' levels of displeasure with the team have only risen. First they told him they weren't signing Bregman despite the winter rumors. Then they signed Bregman, but told Devers he was still playing 3rd. Then Bregman became the 3rd baseman with Devers having to adjust to DH. Devers eventually found his footing there, but then Triston Casas ruptured his patellar tendon, thus opening up first base. With no one else in the organization fit to take over Devers was asked to play first, but immediately told the Sox front office to go fuck themselves. Since then Devers took off offensively, including a homer today to cap off the Sox sweep of the Yankees. And now…. this

Advertisement

Gerrit Cole and I have dreamt of a day like this with no hope it would actually arrive. For it to be a reality where the Red Sox trade away another franchise player for nothing is simply beyond belief. 

The timing is incredible. Boston's season has life finally and then they go around and  trade Devers just like that. Sure he had an attitude problem with the whole 3rd base/DH/1st base thing, but at the end of the day this feels like Craig Breslow wanting his way or the highway. He didn't give Devers that contract and never saw eye to eye with the guy. 

Henry chose Breslow over Devers and it's simply stunning. A few hours ago I was devastated. Now if you're asking me if I'd take a 28 year old Rafael Devers trade to the NL West in exchange for a June sweep? No problem. Where do I sign? 

I'm sure we'll get plenty of leaks from Breslow and Henry throughout the week as they try to steer the public perception in their direction. For now we're left here wondering how long this was in the works for and if they called anyone else but the Giants to get this done. 

Update: 

Advertisement

I'm flabbergasted and beyond thrilled. 

Devers, Betts, and Sale all traded in the span of a few years for Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, James Tibbs, Jose Bello, Vaughn Grissom, Connor Wong, Alex Verdugo, and Jeter Downs. Something else, man. 

P.S. LOL