3 teams Giants could actually unload crazy Rafael Devers contract on in trade talks

A couple of weeks ago, the Rafael Devers trade was looking pretty awful for the SF Giants. Devers looked lost at the plate and opposing pitchers were clearly not afraid of him as they pumped fastballs down the middle to him and watched him whiff repeatedly.

Now, Devers looks like he’s found his swing. In his last seven games he’s hitting .391/.464/.870 with three home runs and six runs batted in. He’s also drawn four walks which is a good sign after his walk rate was way down to begin the season.

He’s looked great as of late, but is there any world in which the Giants would try to trade him as he is finally heating up?

Bob Nightengale of USA Today recently mused that the Giants would surely “love” to get rid of Devers and other high-priced players like Jung Hoo Lee, Willy Adames, and Matt Chapman. He does not seem to have any source within the organization saying that the Giants plan on doing anything like that, but it still makes one wonder what teams might be willing to take on Devers and that massive contract which lasts until 2033.

That’s a long time to be paying a guy who the Giants have seen go through some pretty pronounced slumps in the year or so since they acquired him. Maybe president of baseball operations Buster Posey tries to sell high so the Giants can get out of that contract while they still can.

If he does, here are three teams who could be willing to take on Devers and all that money.

3 teams Giants could offload Rafael Devers to

New York Mets

The New York Mets are desperate right now. They are 15-25 and are in last place in the NL East. Yet, they have the biggest payroll in baseball and their owner Steve Cohen is not afraid to make big moves.

The Mets need a first baseman after Pete Alonso went to the Baltimore Orioles so maybe they could be talked into a trade for Devers. Jonah Tong would be a nice pitching prospect for the Giants to get so if they wanted to make a deal like that now is the time because Devers is hot, the Mets are struggling and desperate, and Tong is not doing great in the minors so his stock is a little lower.

Detroit Tigers

Right now the Detroit Tigers have to be more worried about their starting rotation which has been ravaged by injuries and suspension. Yet, maybe they will decide they need an infusion of offense to make up for their pitching issues.

First baseman Spencer Torkelson has been struggling this year for Detroit. He’s hitting just .211/.331/.406 with six home runs and 15 runs batted in. He is a Bay Area native from Petaluma and was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2020 MLB Draft.

Maybe a Devers for Torkelson swap could make some sense for both sides but the Giants would likely have to eat some money to make that work.

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees have been struggling a bit as of late and they might be desperate to make a move. Maybe the Giants could try for a reunion with starting pitcher Carlos Rodón to bolster the rotation or they could target another pricey contract like Cody Bellinger.

A trade still feels incredibly unlikely and probably won’t happen, but that’s how the Devers trade felt last season. We know Posey likes to be aggressive so maybe he’ll pull the trigger on another shocker. 

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