Latest news with #Devers
Winnipeg Free Press
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Rafael Devers makes his debut at first base for Giants after refusing to play position for Red Sox
ATLANTA (AP) — Rafael Devers was in the lineup at first base for the San Francisco Giants at Atlanta on Tuesday night, the slugger's first start at the position that he refused to play for his prior team, the Boston Red Sox. Boston traded Devers to San Francisco in June after his relationship with management deteriorated less than two years into a 10-year, $313.5 million contract he signed in 2023. The Red Sox signed Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman during spring training and asked Devers to move to designated hitter. He balked before agreeing to the switch, but when Boston first baseman Triston Casas suffered a season-ending injury, the Red Sox approached Devers about playing the position and he declined. San Francisco Giants designated hitter Rafael Devers (16) hits a single against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart) After the trade, Devers started working out at first base and said he would be happy to play there as soon as he felt comfortable. Asked why he was willing to play the position for the Giants and not the Red Sox, Devers said he felt he had 'earned some respect' because of his production in Boston, adding that he would have made the switch if the Red Sox had asked at the beginning of spring training. Devers has struggled since the move to the West Coast, batting .219 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 29 games for the Giants, all at DH. He batted .272 with 15 homers and 58 RBIs in 73 games for Boston. A three-time All-Star, Devers is a .277 batter with 217 homers in nine seasons. The Giants took a six-game losing streak into their meeting with the Braves that dropped them to 52-49, 3 1/2 games out of a wild-card playoff spot. San Francisco ranked 23rd in the majors in runs per game. Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter Mike McIntyre | On Sports Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. ___ AP MLB:
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Which part of the roster will Giants try to improve at trade deadline?
ATLANTA — A five-game losing streak heading into a series in Atlanta pushed the San Francisco Giants a little further into third place in the National League West and 2½ games out of a wild card spot. They have been either coasting or playing some of their worst ball since a hot start in April and May, but their place in the thick of it is trending toward the Giants being buyers with 10 days until the July 31 trade deadline. President of baseball operations Buster Posey made the splashiest move of the year when he traded Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks and prospects for slugger Rafael Devers. That move chipped at the organization's pitching depth and, with the state of the rotation, the Giants will be looking first to bolster a rotation that's showing vulnerability and is now without as big a safety net. Granted, pitching has been this team's strong suit to date. Robbie Ray, despite an off Sunday afternoon in Toronto, and Logan Webb head up a rotation boasting a 3.88 ERA — 12th best in MLB, sixth best in the National League. Their 3.60 FIP, a statistic that measures pitchers' effectiveness independent of the defense, is second best in the NL. Their bullpen makes the entire group stronger, collectively holding a 3.61 ERA and 3.60 FIP, both second best in the league. What's gone wrong is at the back of the rotation. Nothing about Justin Verlander 's year with the Giants has been consistent except the ineffectiveness. He's without a win this season and holds a 4.99 ERA, but will make his next start on Wednesday in Atlanta. Though he's coming into his own as a consistent starter, attention must be paid to Landen Roupp 's workload. Now at 96⅓ innings pitched, he's nearing the career-high 107⅓ he pitched between three minor league teams in 2022. The immediate concern is with Hayden Birdsong. The Giants skipped his start against the Los Angeles Dodgers before the break after three previous concerning outings in which he completely lost the strike zone and issued 13 walks and gave up 11 earned runs (including four home runs) over 13 innings. A bad start against the Atlanta Braves could justify a demotion to the bullpen for Birdsong if they make a move. Further down on the list of priorities is the bullpen itself, which could use another left-handed reliever with Erik Miller rehabbing a sprained left elbow. As the Giants await Miller's return in mid-August at the earliest, Joey Lucchesi has filled in nicely in Miller's place and the organization recently called up lefty Matt Gage for depth. The offense is an obvious weak spot, so a fair question is: Why not add a bat at the deadline? With Devers, Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Jung Hoo Lee locked into lucrative contracts, there isn't a ton of wiggle room to add an impact bat. Heliot Ramos is the everyday left fielder and Casey Schmitt has taken over at second. Devers is expected to play first base at some point in order to get Wilmer Flores more designated hitter at-bats. There may be room to add a right-handed outfielder, but the Devers addition accomplished the goal of adding an impact bat. The hope is that Devers will heat up once the pain from a back injury subsides and the offense can play up to their earnings.
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Giants' Buster Posey Sends Rafael Devers Message as Concerns Mount
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The San Francisco Giants are emerging from the All-Star break with some clear playoff expectations after pulling off a surprising move well ahead of the trade deadline. After adding win-now veterans like Willy Adames and Justin Verlander to the roster this past winter, president of baseball operations Buster Posey brought in franchise slugger Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox. Given that Devers is still owed more than $250 million, it was a clear sign that the Giants see themselves in the midst of a championship window. Unfortunately, the early returns on the Devers trade haven't been great for the Giants. Devers was slashing .272/.401/.504 for the Red Sox this season before the move and he has logged a .202/.330/.326 line with just two homers in his 109 at-bats with the Giants since then. Though it's too early to hit the panic button on the slugger, Posey attempted to reassure fans with a message about their new slugger as concerns grow. PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 02: Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants reacts to a strike out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on July... PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 02: Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants reacts to a strike out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on July 02, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by) More Petersen/Getty "What can you tell fans about that very, very tough first month for Devers and how are you processing it?" Posey was asked during a recent appearance on KNBR radio. "This guy's been in one organization his entire life," Posey responded, per KNBR. "Now to come over and everything is different. Not just the ballpark and teammates but where you're living. So it's an adjustment period. ... It's just a matter of time before he gets going." Giants fans might be encouraged to remember Devers' slow start to this season, which gave way to an impressive hot streak just before he was traded. He was the first player in Major League Baseball history to record at least 12 strikeouts in the first four games. For now, Posey and the Giants can chalk up the disappointing Devers debut to a natural lull, despite some growing concerns from the fanbase. More MLB: Yankees' Aaron Judge Offers 3-Word Response on Breaking Babe Ruth's Franchise Record
Canada News.Net
6 days ago
- Sport
- Canada News.Net
Blue Jays eager to return to diamond, beginning with Giants series
(Photo credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images) The Toronto Blue Jays aim to continue playing the way that put them in first place in the American League East when they host the San Francisco Giants on Friday night. The Blue Jays return from the All-Star break with a six-game homestand starting with three against the Giants. The homestand concludes with a three-game series against the second-place New York Yankees, who are two games behind in the AL East. Toronto surged into first place with a 39-21 record since May 8. However, the Blue Jays stumbled entering the break by losing three of four to complete a 3-3 road trip against the Chicago White Sox and the Athletics. The team is anticipating continued success when play resumes. 'Excited is an understatement,' Toronto manager John Schneider said. 'We can't wait to be back.' Toronto has 55 wins, the most in franchise history before the All-Star break. That came after 96 games for a .573 winning percentage. The 1992 Blue Jays won 53 games in 87 games before the break, a .609 winning percentage. Toronto is scheduled to call on Chris Bassitt (9-4, 4.12 ERA) in the opener. The right-hander is 3-2 with a 4.54 ERA in 39 2/3 innings over seven career starts against the Giants. He worked a perfect inning in relief on Sunday in a 6-3 loss to the Athletics. San Francisco is expected to start right-hander Justin Verlander (0-7, 4.70), who after 15 starts is still chasing his first win of the season. Despite pitching two no-hitters against the Blue Jays (2011 with Detroit, 2019 with Houston), his career record against them is 4-7 with a 4.13 in 16 starts. The Giants are third in the National League West, six games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and a half-game behind the San Diego Padres. 'We've put ourselves in a position where, starting in the second half, our objective and where we want to go is still attainable,' Giants manager Bob Melvin said. The Toronto series opens a six-game trip for the Giants. Toronto must contend with an old nemesis in Rafael Devers, who started the season with the division rival Boston Red Sox. The Giants acquired the three-time All-Star in a surprising trade on June 15. Devers has yet to reach his top form with his new club. In his first 25 games with the Giants, he is batting .202 with two home runs, 10 RBIs, a .330 on-base percentage and a .326 slugging percentage. Hitting has been a team weakness for the Giants, but Melvin holds out hope. 'We are going to be better offensively,' Melvin said. 'I believe that. We have some guys that are coming around a little bit. We have some guys that will come around a little bit more. We have some guys in the middle of the lineup, they're going to do more damage. I think our offense is going to be better in the second half.' In 105 games against Toronto, Devers is hitting .307/.368/.569 with 24 homers and 74 RBIs. The Blue Jays have been successful with contributions from several players, particularly George Springer. They have yet to see Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at his best, however. He was good enough to start at first base in the All-Star Game on Tuesday by batting .277/.384/.434 with 12 homers and 46 RBIs in the first half. Toronto is hoping he breaks out in the latter part of the season like he did last year. 'At some point in time, he's going to get on a heater and he'll end up carrying us for a while,' Schneider said.
Boston Globe
6 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
The Red Sox start the second half riding a 10-game winning streak. How much — or how little — of it can be contributed to no longer having Rafael Devers?
It wasn't. Even though it meant cutting ties with their best hitter, the Sox — incensed by Devers's unwillingness to prioritize team needs by considering a position change, and eager to find a trade partner for the 28-year-old rather than risking the possibility of an injury eroding his market before the deadline — made the determination that they'd rather move forward without Devers than with him. In discussing the trade, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow offered a hard-to-fathom assessment. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'I do think that there is a real chance that at the end of the season, we're looking back, and we've won more games than we otherwise would have,' said Breslow. Advertisement The idea seemed far-fetched, particularly as the Red Sox offense spiraled in the initial weeks without Devers. But shockingly, on the heels of a 10-game winning streak leading into the All-Star break, the before-and-after comparison is now quite flattering to the Sox. Related : With Devers, they were 37-36 (.507). Since the trade, they're 16-9 (.640), the third best mark in the majors behind the Brewers (17-6) and Blue Jays (17-8). Their record is better without Devers. Does that mean they're now a better team? Members of the Sox weren't eager to explore the subject. Advertisement 'I'm not going to touch that,' said starter Walker Buehler. 'I'm not going to give a definitive answer on that,' said shortstop Trevor Story. 'I do know we're a different team,' allowed outfielder Rob Refsnyder. 'But I don't know.' The reluctance to offer a yes-or-no assessment is understandable. Players didn't want to come across as disrespectful of Devers as a person or player. They also understand that correlation is not causation, and that it's usually misleading to attribute collective performance to the presence or absence of one individual. So, a different framing might be more productive: What's changed to allow the team to succeed, and were those changes related to Devers? The biggest change has been starting pitching. A group that — outside of Garrett Crochet — struggled to deliver five solid innings has dominated opponents over the last month. How the Red Sox have compared since trading Rafael Devers to the Giants. Amin Touri What about the lineup? Surprisingly, what had been a good offense with Devers (4.8 runs per game, fifth in MLB) has been better since the trade, averaging 5.5 runs per contest (second). Much of that production came during a six-game Vesuvius against the woebegone Nationals and Rockies, but there's more to the surge than the opponents. First, while Devers was as impactful a run-producer as there was in baseball before the trade, during the five-game Red Sox winning streak that immediately preceded the deal, the Rays and Yankees had identified ways to limit his impact. Advertisement He'd gone 3 for 18 with six strikeouts and two walks in 21 plate appearances over that stretch, driving in just one run – a solo homer in his final at-bat with the Sox. The two teams beat him repeatedly with fastballs (47 percent whiff rate) over that stretch. 'Teams were pitching around him a little bit,' said Refsnyder. Related : Meanwhile, Devers's struggles in San Francisco — he's hitting .202/.330/.326 with a 31 percent strikeout rate for the Giants — make it difficult to say what he'd be contributing in Boston, particularly given that he's been 'I can't really judge anybody on [that small sample],' said Giants pitcher Logan Webb. 'It's a guy that had to pack up his stuff and move across the country. I think these things take time. He's here for the next eight years, nine years, so no one's really worried about anything like [him struggling].' Rafael Devers is batting just .202 with two home runs while striking out 34 times in his 109 plate appearances since joining the Giants. Jeff Chiu/Associated Press Even so, it's interesting to contemplate how Devers's departure impacted the rest of the roster. At the time of the trade, Had Devers not been traded, might Anthony — 2 for 27 at the time Abreu was activated — have been optioned to Triple A once Abreu came off the IL? Or, would the team have kept him in the big leagues but limited his at-bats against lefties? Advertisement And if they'd kept Anthony in the big leagues, might Ceddanne Rafaela have started bouncing between center field and second base while occasionally losing starts? Had that happened, would Rafaela have made the same two-way impact that he did this month? '[The trade] has done some things and opened some things for some people who we know deserve it to have opportunities,' said Buehler. Related : Star-level production by Rafaela and Story has likely more than offset the loss of Devers. But the lineup's improvement goes beyond just those two. First, the team's collective approach has improved dramatically. While Devers had been a force with men in scoring position, the same couldn't be said of his teammates. The Sox had been less productive and more strikeout-prone with runners in scoring position through mid-June than they had been with the bases empty. That's flipped. Since the trade – and particularly of late — the team has hit a remarkable .317/.366/.546 with runners in scoring position, and its strikeout rate has dropped from 22 percent overall to 19 percent with runners on second or third. There's been a concerted effort to put the ball in play. Moreover, the anchoring of Devers in the two-hole behind fellow lefty Jarren Duran gave opposing managers a clear path to managing the Sox lineup in the late innings. Without Devers — and with Jarren Duran increasingly being moved to the bottom half of the order against lefthanded starters — the Sox have become comfortable employing platoons and pinch hitters to create headaches for opponents. The combinations of Abreu and Refsnyder as well as Romy Gonzalez, Marcelo Mayer, and Abraham Toro have created a succession of strong matchups. Advertisement 'Our lineup is a little bit more shape-shifty. There's different pieces and parts, and we're able to cover a couple different pitch shapes now. It's a different lineup,' said Refsnyder. 'It definitely doesn't feel like there's pockets of good matchups.' 'We've just been a very versatile team that's winning in a lot of different ways,' added Crochet. Related : Might all of this have happened with Devers? Sure. Again: The Sox were amidst a five-game winning streak that signaled their best stretch of the season when they traded their DH. That said, they've played well enough to at least make Breslow's suggestion of potential improvement post-trade plausible — with plenty of time remaining to seek a more definitive conclusion. 'The truth is, we won't know for a long time,' said CEO/president Sam Kennedy. 'That's the honest answer.' Alex Speier can be reached at
