MLB Rumors: Red Sox Spoke To Multiple Teams Before Rafael Devers Trade

To many MLB fans, the Rafael Devers trade felt like a stunning, out-of-nowhere development. However, the Boston Red Sox reportedly didn’t limit their conversations about the star slugger to the San Francisco Giants.

Last Sunday night, the Red Sox sent shockwaves throughout baseball by trading Devers to the Giants for a four-player package. The blockbuster caught many off guard, as no rumors or speculation publicly surfaced about such a deal beforehand.

That surprise may have led some to wonder if Boston concealed the process to hushed conversations with San Francisco, a big-market team with the funds to pay the rest of Devers’ $313.5 million contract. Yet reporting in the aftermath suggests otherwise.

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Red Sox spoke to the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, and Toronto Blue Jays about Devers before trading him to the Giants.

Giants owner Greg Johnson said they needed to absorb Devers’ full salary to complete a deal. That $254.5 million may have deterred other teams from aggressively pursuing the three-time All-Star, who sported a .905 OPS with the Red Sox before last Sunday’s trade.

Trading Devers to an American League East competitor in Toronto certainly would have been a tough sell. Atlanta seems like an odd fit, as the organization already has corner infielders Matt Olson and Austin Riley locked up to team-friendly deals with Marcell Ozuna occupying the designated hitter spot.

Acquiring Devers would have represented a significant statement for the Chicago Cubs, who have scored MLB’s second-most runs behind the Los Angeles Dodgers as of Sunday. Perhaps Devers could have offered a long-term contingency plan for losing Kyle Tucker, whom Boston may now have the financial flexibility to pursue in free agency next winter.

Devers wouldn’t seem to fit Seattle’s typical spending habits, and former Red Sox star Xander Bogaerts is one of four San Diego position players under contract through at least 2033.

On the other hand, the Giants have seemed eager to add an impact slugger in recent years. Devers hit his first home run since the trade when leading his new team to a 3-2 win over his former team on Saturday.