The Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants shocked the baseball world on June 15, 2025, as Boston agreed to send star slugger Rafael Devers west in a high-profile trade.
The deal, completed well ahead of the July 31 deadline, saw Boston receive a haul of talent: right-hander Jordan Hicks, 23-year-old lefty prospect Kyle Harrison, and two other young assets-outfielder James Tibbs III and pitching prospect Jose Bello.
Devers, 28, had developed into one of Major League Baseball’s most potent offensive weapons. Currently batting .272 with 15 home runs, 58 RBIs, and a .905 OPS, he remains in a strong campaign.
In January 2023, he signed a landmark 10-year, $313.5 million extension that included no-trade protection, but fell shy of full no-trade rights, making the swap enforceable.
Dave Portnoy takes to Instagram to express his disappointment
The Barstool Sports owner didn’t hesitate to express his disappointment in the trade deal, saying that it came during a time when the Red Sox were just beginning to get into their groove.
“This season has sucked for the Red Sox until [the last two weeks] they start playing good baseball. They sweep the Yankees, [winning] 5 ouf 6 against the Yankees…we’re finally looking up,” Portnoy said in an Instragram reel.
“[…] And Devers is hitting for the most part and you f*ng trade him for a bag of baseballs and a couple of no name pitchers,” he said regarding the attainment of Hicks and Harrison.
“You’re playing good baseball now. You don’t want to at least see what can happen this year? […] This is a money deal, not a winning baseball deal. The Red Sox don’t make winning baseball deals very often anymore.”
Changing dynamics in Boston’s clubhouse
Tensions between Devers and the Red Sox front office had been simmering, most notably after Boston signed Gold Glove winner Alex Bregman in the offseason, which prompted efforts to convert Devers into a designated hitter.
Devers initially resisted the change, then relented, only to push back again when asked to man first base following Triston Casas‘s season-ending injury in early May.
In response, he urged the organization to “should do their jobs” and add another player, expressing discontent with how the situation was handled.
The relationship appeared untenable when owner John Henry, president Sam Kennedy, and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow flew to Kansas City to meet Devers in person-an extraordinary escalation that highlighted the depth of the rift.
Boston‘s leadership concluded that offloading Devers and his massive salary was preferable to continuing a strained dynamic.
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