Why Rafael Devers-Red Sox Blockbuster Almost Didn’t Happen

It certainly must've been hard getting a trade of this size done...

Jun 21, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames (right) douses teammate Rafael Devers following their victory over the Boston Red Sox at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

The 2025 Major League Baseball trade deadline is just over one month away but there already has been fireworks.

The Boston Red Sox sent Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in one of the biggest mid-season trades in recent memory.

Since the deal, it has been the biggest talking point across the league. From the drama behind the scenes, to chatter about what’s potentially next, the story has been covered thoroughly.

USA Today Sports’ Bob Nightengale shared that the expectation from Giants owner Greg Johnson was that if they didn’t pick up the entirety of Devers’ deal than it wouldn’t have gotten done.

"If the Giants had not agreed to assume the $254.5 million remaining in Devers’ contract, Giants owner Greg Johnson says there would have been no trade," Nightengale said. "Still, even after picking up his entire contract, the Giants added only $4.8 million to their payroll with the CBT because of the heavy deferrals in Devers’ contract. It counts for only $15.8 million while the Giants dumped the $11 million Jordan Hicks is owed this year."

This is a topic that has been covered at length since the trade. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow was asked if a mandate was given that the club had to completely get rid of Devers' deal in a trade. He talked about how the goal is simply to assemble the best team possible.

Either way, getting his contract off the books should free up big money elsewhere. Now, the question is will the team use the savings to its advantage?

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