As the San Francisco Giants took the field in Los Angeles this afternoon, still reeling from the news that they had executed a blockbuster trade to bring Boston Red Sox DH Rafael Devers aboard, the man at the center of the deal stood at shortstop.
The biggest transaction of the 2025 season was not really about the four players headed to the Red Sox—converted starting pitcher Jordan Hicks; swingman Kyle Harrison, who was pulled from the bullpen just minutes before his scheduled start against the Dodgers; outfield prospect James Tibbs; or pitching prospect José Bello—or even Devers himself, the top-10 hitter who has twice squabbled with team officials over his position. No, this deal was five years in the making, dating back to the last time the Red Sox made a major trade: the 2020 Mookie Betts trade.
