Rafael Devers is no longer a member of the Boston Red Sox. Just after helping complete a sweep of the Yankees with a home run in Game 3, Devers was shockingly traded to the San Francisco Giants in a move that stunned the baseball world.
But behind that unexpected trade, the Red Sox reportedly had a serious reason. According to Pete Abraham, citing team sources in Boston, the organization felt Devers wasn’t showing the level of commitment expected—especially considering the size of his contract.
“Per Red Sox sources: the team’s feeling was that a $313.5M contract comes with responsibilities to do what is right for the team and that Devers did not live up to those responsibilities. They had enough and they traded him,” Abraham reported on Bluesky.
Red Sox weren’t satisfied
Even though Devers was hitting over .400, it still wasn’t enough for the Red Sox organization. As Abraham reported, the team wanted more commitment from him. While many believed the drama surrounding Devers’ reported reluctance to play in the infield had passed, it now appears that situation played a role in the team’s final decision.
In June, Devers had three home runs, more than nine hits in over 30 at-bats, and had scored multiple runs. There hadn’t been any new rumors around him, and he had even been spotted fielding balls at shortstop during a team workout. Still, the organization wasn’t convinced.
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Who’s paying Devers’ contract?
The Giants are now fully responsible for the remainder of Devers’ massive MLB contract. He has 8½ years left, totaling $254 million. According to Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac, who shared the breakdown on X, Devers will also receive a $2 million bonus as part of the trade to San Francisco.
- 2025: $15.6M ($4.2M deferred)
- 2026: $27.5M ($7.5M deferred)
- 2027: $31M ($7.5M deferred)
- 2028: $31M ($7.5M deferred)
- 2029: $31M ($7.5M deferred)
- 2030: $31M ($7.5M deferred)
- 2031: $29M ($7.5M deferred)
- 2032: $29M ($7.5M deferred)
- 2033: $29M ($7.5M deferred)
