Giants May Finally Have the Rafael Devers They Were Waiting For

After a disastrous start and plenty of criticism in 2026, the first baseman is proving that he still possesses power at the plate.

San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

They say that in life, reality never seems to match up with expectations. That's true in baseball, as well, and especially if you look at Rafael Dever's rocky path since joining the San Francisco Giants in mid-2025. The first baseman immediately became the focal point of the offense, but so far, he's failed to play at that level in the Bay Area.

Compared to his enormous contract, Devers' numbers in 2026 have been lacking, but he's also having a downtrodden year. But even for a season where he's seemingly looked lost or sometimes disinterested, he's making a case that his deal isn't as destructive as many believe.

Rafael Devers has overcome his slow start and is swinging a hot bat for the San Francisco Giants. Having defused recent controversies, he spoke to the Chronicle about what’s ahead. https://t.co/drai5G3Z3r

— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) July 18, 2026

Suddenly, it's all starting to come back, and Rafeal Devers is starting to change the face of that deal. He was struggling as a run producer in the early stages of the season, but he's been building, with 17 home runs and a .926 OPS since the start of May.

So, while the perception would be that his season is a total train wreck, it's actually been subtly solid. At the end of the season, Devers will likely still end up with 25 or more homers at the end of the year.

"I know the first half wasn’t good for us,” Devers said, recently through team translator Erwin Higueros, interpreting, “but I think that we should be able to make adjustments. I think that we should be able to win games. I think we’re going to be very positive and things will turn around for us.”

Despite Rumors, Devers Won't Go Anywhere

Giants infielder Rafael Devers, driving home a run | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He may still have some detractors, but there's no denying that Devers is a proven MLB hitter. He entered the season with a career .273 batting average, 255 home runs, and 800 RBI in 4,788 career at-bats across 1,291 regular-season games. He's tallied 1,306 hits, 303 doubles, 33 stolen bases, and an .850 OPS. The slugger is also a three-time All-Star and a one-time World Series winner.

Despite the way this season has shaken out, Devers is making many believe that his stay in San Fran can still be salvaged. Preferably for the Giants, this was just him getting out of the blocks slowly, only to surge later. And for president of baseball operations Buster Posey? It needs to work out that way to give him the proper room for a rebuild - one that can be built around a reborn star.