Old Bill Simmons Tweet About Rafael Devers Trade Resurfaces After Red Sox Deal Star

Ryan Phillips | Jun 15, 2025

Rafael Devers hit .272 with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs for the Boston Red Sox during the 2025 season. / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox shocked the rest of Major League Baseball when they traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday afternoon. One prominent Red Sox fan's old tweet has proven prophetic.

After the Red Sox allowed Xander Bogaerts to walk away in December of 2022, Bill Simmons tweeted the following:

Can’t wait for the “Rafael Devers for 5 prospects” trade. That’s next. Let’s keep cutting those costs for 2024 so you can sell the Red Sox and redirect the $$$$ for the Vegas/NBA expansion team with LeBron, guys.

Well, less than three years later it would appear he nailed it. Well, not quite. The Red Sox didn't get five prospects in return. The deal looks much worse.

Boston is receiving pitchers Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks, plus outfield prospect James Tibbs and another prospect. Harrison has a 4.56 ERA in eight appearances this season, while in 13 trips to the mound, Hicks's ERA is 6.47. On paper, it appears the Giants got a steal by nabbing the three-time All-Star for two struggling pitchers and two prospects.

Simmons tweeted something new Sunday night, implying the Red Sox traded Devers to help Liverpool FC afford new German signing Florian Wirtz. Fenway Sports Group owns both the Red Sox and Liverpool, and moving Devers freed up $250 million.

Hmmmmm… pic.twitter.com/SHnZV5bBom

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 16, 2025

That's a fun little conspiracy theory and I'm sure Red Sox fans will run with it.

---

More MLB on Sports Illustrated

feed