A report says the Giants could try to “unload” Rafael Devers and other costly veterans, as Devers struggles and trade interest looks uncertain.
Giants fans watched a blockbuster move with excitement—now a report suggests that excitement could turn into a cleanup job, with San Francisco reportedly looking to “unload” Rafael Devers and other high-cost veterans.
One year after acquiring Devers from the Boston Red Sox. the Giants reportedly wouldn’t mind a redo. according to a report that San Francisco would “love to unload” Devers and begin “start[ing] over.” The same reporting also points to interest in trading shortstop Willy Adames. third baseman Matt Chapman. and outfield prospect Jung Hoo Lee.
The timing is complicated by what the Devers acquisition already represented for the Giants.. Last June, San Francisco shocked the market by sending four players to Boston in exchange for Devers.. While only one of those players. Jose Bello. still remains with the Red Sox organization. the scale of the original deal has made the outcome especially sensitive to performance—both for the present and for how the franchise plans its next phase.
From the Giants’ perspective, the concern centers on how Devers has been producing since the move.. This season, he is batting .232/.276/.364, with four strikeouts in 40 games.. The report adds that his minus-0.5 fWAR is tied with Ezequiel Tovar of the Colorado Rockies for the lowest mark in the National League.
That production gap matters because the deal came with major expectations.. Devers is a three-time All-Star. and the report frames the current stretch as falling short of what San Francisco anticipated when it paid for a high-impact hitter.. If the slump continues to define his season, the Giants could face a longer-term problem—especially given his contract.
The financial commitment is substantial.. Devers is set to make $28.5 million in each of the next seven seasons.. In this context. the Giants’ reported willingness to shop him is less about a short-lived dip and more about managing risk: if the power and on-base production don’t rebound quickly. the cost could become harder to absorb over time.
Still, the report notes that Devers has shown signs of adjusting, with a 1.049 OPS in May.. That improvement raises an important question for any potential trading window: whether the current season’s performance curve is trending back toward the player the Giants expected—or whether the overall results will remain inconsistent enough to deter other teams.
Even if Devers begins to look more like himself in certain stretches, the report suggests the market may be limited.. It indicates the Giants may have difficulty finding eager trade partners this summer. because Adames. Chapman. and Lee could also be harder to move if they are considered slumping veterans carrying hefty long-term contracts.
While that approach could be risky, the report points to a possible pivot in priorities.. Instead of focusing only on high-ticket hitters. Nightengale suggested San Francisco could devote more effort to shopping Robbie Ray. who is a free agent this offseason.. Ray, 34, is reported to have recorded a 2.76 ERA in eight starts this season.
That shift highlights the balancing act facing the Giants.. Trading for or acquiring value often depends on market timing and the perceived availability of help elsewhere. but contract structures can heavily influence what other teams are willing to take on.. In this setting. a move involving Ray could be framed as a different kind of chess piece—one tied to current performance rather than years of guaranteed salary.
The broader implication is that the Devers trade may now be reinterpreted by some as either a calculated gamble that needs time to pay off—or a move that has put the franchise on a more urgent schedule to repair its roster picture.. The report’s language about “start[ing] over” underscores that the Giants appear to be weighing short-term results against long-term commitments. especially as trade conversations become more plausible when performance and payroll pressure collide.
For now. the situation remains in the realm of reports and speculation. but the stakes are clear: Devers’ season so far. the seven-year financial runway. and the overall trade market for expensive players could determine whether San Francisco holds its course—or chooses to reshape the roster again before the offseason window closes.
Rafael Devers trade rumors San Francisco Giants roster Willy Adames trade Matt Chapman contract Jung Hoo Lee rumors Robbie Ray free agent