Somehow, it has been one full year since one of the biggest trades in Boston Red Sox history, as the organization opted to cut ties with three-time All-Star Rafael Devers and trade him to the San Francisco Giants.
Devers was supposed to be the face of the franchise. You don't give a guy a 10-year, $313.5 million deal unless you believe that to be the case. But it was a mess last season before the deal got done. The Red Sox signed Alex Bregman and moved Devers off third base, rather than moving Bregman to second base. There were rumors that if the Red Sox had signed Bregman, he would shift to second base, but that's not what happened. Boston moved Devers off third base, which caused a lot of drama. Bregman played third base and Devers was at designated hitter.
The Red Sox took Devers' glove off and then when they asked him to pick one back up and replace Triston Casas at first base, it only amplified the drama to another level. Clearly, there was a lot going on behind the scenes because rather than trying to fix the problems, Boston traded Devers with eight full seasons left on his deal.
It was shocking, to say the least. In return, the Red Sox got Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks, outfield prospect James Tibbs III, pitching prospect Jose Bello. The only good thing about this deal is the fact that Devers' contract is no longer on the books. Harrison was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers and looks like a Cy Young Award contender. Hicks struggled in Boston and was traded to the Chicago White Sox. Tibbs has been a monster down in the minors in the Los Angeles Dodgers' farm system after Boston gave him up for some reason in exchange for a few weeks of Dustin May. Bello is the only guy from the deal in Boston's farm system still.
Devers has struggled in San Francisco this season and is batting .235 with nine homers. Even that production would help Boston at this point.
A year later, this deal looks like a clear lose-lose. If only Boston could've simply figured things out with Devers.