Giants GM Reveals Rafael Devers’ Front Office Nickname Ahead of ‘Huge’ Season

The San Francisco Giants are banking that their trade for Rafael Devers will be their lineup catalyst for years to come.

San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers. | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants shook the baseball world when they traded for Rafael Devers. The deal didn’t pay off with a playoff berth.

But president of baseball operations Buster Posey and general manager Zack Minasian saw it as a long-term play. Devers is under contract through 2033, as the Giants are picking up the remainder of his 10-year, $313.5 million deal he signed before the 2024 season.

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There is plenty at stake for San Francisco. Devers’ numbers with the Giants were intriguing — .236/.347/.460 with 20 home runs and 51 RBI. But a full season in San Francisco? That what has the Giants buzzing in spring training. Minasian said that having Devers in camp is “huge.”

Zach Minasian on Rafael Devers

San Francisco Giants general manager Zack Minasian. | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Minasian told KNBR’s “Murph and Markus” that Devers has a nickname in the front office, on that seems apt given his build and his ability to hit tape-measure home runs.

“We have a phrase we use in the office — he's an aircraft carrier,” Minasian said Thursday. “He can carry your offense for a series at a time, for a week at a time, for a month at a time. I hope the length of our offense can help him to where he doesn’t have to carry the load, and I think we have a lot of good offensive players on this group.”

Devers’ full season in 2025 lined up with his career production. With Boston to start the campaign, he slashed .252/.372/.479 with 35 home runs and 109 RBI. While Willy Adames became the first Giants hitter to hit 30 home runs in a season since Barry Bonds did it in 2004, Devers has the potential to be that type of hitter for consecutive seasons. Last year was his fourth season with at least 30 home runs.

Entering his age 29 season, Devers can produce a Hall-of-Fame level career. He has slashed .276/.349/.506 with 235 home runs and 747 RBI since he made his MLB debut in 2017 at 20 years old. He won a World Series ring with Boston in 2018. He also has two Silver Sluggers and three All-Star Game berths.

He’s learning the ropes at first base, a position he refused to play in Boston and helped lead to his trade. Minasian said earlier this offseason that Devers has put in the work to be an “above-average” first baseman. The plan is for him and Bryce Eldridge, the team’s No. 1 prospect, to share time at first base and DH.

He’s also left the controversy of Boston behind him. Earlier this spring Boston Red Sox chairman Tom Werner offered some sharp criticism of Devers refusing to play first base after Tristan Casas was injured. The Giants star didn’t take the bait and told reporters he just wanted to move forward.

That starts with a full season in a Giants uniform and producing the kinds of numbers that could help San Francisco reach the playoffs for the first time since 2021.