Why Rafael Devers is Giants' biggest June trade since MLB deadline moved to July 31

San Francisco Chronicle​

10 hours ago

The San Francisco Giants ' trade for Boston Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers could very well be the most jaw-dropping transaction of 2025, dwarfing even whatever the trade deadline might bring, but the early-summer timing perhaps will make it go down as one of the most unorthodox moves in recent baseball history.
Teams are constantly making transactions throughout the season, but rarely does a blockbuster deal happen this many weeks before MLB's July 31 trade deadline. Typically, when Father's Day rolls around, the hot stove is barely at a low burn.
In his first year at the helm, Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey has shown he's not afraid to make moves. And this one could define his tenure.
'I mean, usually it's difficult to get something done at this time of year,' manager Bob Melvin said after the Giants' 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. 'Teams are waiting a little bit longer, and trying to pick your pocket a little bit more towards the trade deadline. To get it done right now, for a team that — offensively we're lacking a left handed bat, and we're lacking some power — this should be a huge boost for us.'
Added Giants pitcher Logan Webb: 'I don't know why there aren't trades earlier in the season. You know that that trade deadline day is freaking chaotic. It's not fun to be a part of it. So, yeah, I'm happy we got it done early. And Rafael Devers is a Giant for a long time.'
When the offense hit a slump at the end of May, Posey shipped off struggling LaMonte Wade Jr. and shook up the roster; a seven-game win streak soon followed. The day before designating Wade for assignment, Posey noted that the front office was active on the phones but they were at a 'strange point in the season as far as other teams' willingness to make trades.'
Though there had previously been talks between the Giants and Red Sox involving a deal with Kyle Harrison — who went in the trade along with Jordan Hicks, James Tibbs III and Jose Bello — Posey said there was 'no reason' in particular that they made a move so early.
'I mean, it was more just having conversations with the Red Sox, and we were able to gain some momentum and feel like we matched up, and it just came together quickly,' he said on Sunday. 'And, yeah, here we are.'
It's early, but the Giants are contenders in desperate need of some pop in the middle of the order since it's taken a while for Willy Adames to warm his jets.
By moving early, the Giants beat whatever line would form at the deadline for Devers, a three-time All-Star and premier bat who had grown disgruntled because of Boston's requests that he move from third base to DH, and later first.
It is perhaps the earliest in the season that the Giants have made such a franchise-altering move since MLB moved its non-waiver trade deadline to July 31 back in 1986.
The last June trades of much magnitude since the deadline was moved to July 31? In 1988, on June 8, when the Giants traded Jeffrey Leonard to the Milwaukee Brewers for Ernie Riles, and on June 18, 1989 they swapped Terry Mulholland, Charlie Hayes and Dennis Cook to the Phillies for Steve Bedrosian, the closer on that year's pennant-winning team.
Former general manager Brian Sabean's defining trade of fan favorite Matt Williams to Cleveland for, amongst others, Jeff Kent, happened in November, not two months after Sabean was hired. Impactful, but an offseason move.
The 1987 trade with the San Diego Padres that brought Kevin Mitchell, Dave Dravecky and Craig Lefferts to the Giants for Chris Brown, Keith Comstock, Mark Grant and Mark Davis happened on July 4, several weeks before the newly-moved deadline. The trade turned out to be a big one for the Giants as Mitchell won the National League MVP in 1989 while he and Dravecky were key members of the pennant race that year.
Across baseball, there have been very few significant trades completed in June. The New York Yankees traded Rickey Henderson to the Oakland A's on June 21 the year Henderson helped lead Oakland to the 1989 title.
Years before Carlos Beltran was involved in a 2011 deadline trade to the Giants for Zack Wheeler, he was traded to the Houston Astros in 2004 on June 24. Beltran was 27, about to hit free agency, and hit eight home runs in the Astros' World Series run, tying Barry Bonds for most in a postseason.
Devers, 28, is far from your average mid-season pickup. He will help the Giants contend this year but with that contract and his track record as an established slugger, he could be the most productive hitter San Francisco has seen since Posey himself. And he should be around for a long time.
Staff writer Susan Slusser contributed to this article.