Rafael Devers crushed his 31st career home run against the Yankees on Sunday as the Red Sox shut them out 2-0 at Fenway Park, completing a weekend sweep. Just hours later, the three-time All-Star was unexpectedly traded to the Giants.
NEW YORK — Yankees manager Aaron Boone wasn’t as shocked as the rest of the baseball world when Rafael Devers once again proved to be a Yankee-killer, only to be moved in one of the most surprising June trades in recent memory.
The 2-0 win capped a three-game sweep for Boston, with Devers homering in his 119th career game against the Yankees. But the real shock came shortly after, when the Red Sox shipped Devers to San Francisco in exchange for a package that raised eyebrows: two struggling pitchers and a couple of lower-level prospects.
“I think certainly that caught the baseball world a little off guard and everyone’s a little bit stunned,” Boone said before the Yankees faced the Angels on Monday night. “But when the dust settles, you’re also not stunned just with all the noise around that over the last couple of months.”
The friction between Devers and Red Sox management reportedly escalated after he initially refused to shift from third base to designated hitter following the team’s acquisition of Alex Bregman, a stronger defensive option. He reluctantly accepted the DH role, but tensions flared again in May when he volunteered to play first base after Triston Casas went down with a season-ending injury.
That led Boston to unload Devers and the remaining $250 million of his massive 11-year, $331-million contract. In return, they received lefty starter Kyle Harrison (soon sent to Triple-A), injured righty Jordan Hicks, High-A outfield prospect James Tibbs III, and rookie ball pitcher Jose Bello.
The Red Sox got a mix of present and future pieces but gave up a superstar still in his prime — without landing a clear, can’t-miss talent in return.
Despite a middling 37-36 record, Boston had won five straight and eight of their last ten, including back-to-back series wins over the Yankees. But the move signals a shift toward the future, rather than bolstering the roster for a playoff push before the July 31 deadline.
As for Boone’s reaction to the trade?
“I don’t know, it’s not my area of work,” he said. “Careful what you wish for. You never know how these things shake out and what it means for either team. So that stuff’s got to play out.”
