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Blockbuster Rafael Devers Trade Led to Awkward Start to ESPN’s Sunday Night Game

Ryan Phillips

Boston Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers gets a base hit against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Boston Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers gets a base hit against the Tampa Bay Rays. / David Butler II-Imagn Images
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The baseball world was shocked on Sunday when the Boston Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants. It also led to an awkward opening to ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.

Karl Ravech opened the broadcast announcing the blockbuster trade. Part of the package going to Boston in exchange for Devers included starting pitcher Kyle Harrison, who happened to be scheduled to take the mound for San Francisco's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Obviously, those plans were nixed.

Here's the intro:

Just 30 minutes before the game started, the Giants traded their pitcher for the evening. Like the rest of us, the Sunday Night Baseball crew was taken aback by the development.

Devers is an elite hitter, so this is a major move for the Giants and the Red Sox. San Francisco now has a big lefthanded bat in the middle of its lineup, while Boston is getting rid of a guy who was at odds with management.

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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.

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