How the SF Giants Trade for Rafael Devers Affects Past and Future Free Agent Pursuits

Buster Posey has clearly shown his willingness to take risks. Trading for a bat like Devers proves that the front office is in win-now mode and trying to bring SF Giants back to World Series contention. How does that big swing of the bat affect future pursuits?

How the SF Giants Trade for Rafael Devers Affects Past and Future Free Agent Pursuits

All eyes in this upcoming free agency are on slugger Kyle Tucker. The right fielder for the Cubs is expected to command a healthy chunk of change, potentially north of $500 million. While Tucker is an elite hitter, this is also thanks to the explosive market for guys like him. On paper, the Giants are one of the major markets that could afford that level of investment. At the end of the day, they were willing to pay Shohei Ohtani the same $700 million that the Dodgers did.

There's no question Tucker would be a dream addition to any lineup, but it's more complicated than that. The Giants now have one of the more expensive cores in baseball, consisting of Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, Jung Hoo Lee, and now Rafael Devers. While Posey will undoubtedly entertain the likes of bringing in Tucker, it's beginning to feel less and less likely.

Ownership would have to sign off on yet another nine-figure deal, and that might be off the table...for now.

On a recent episode of Giants Talk, Giants insider Alex Pavlovic stated, "there is no expectation that they're going to take on any money at the deadline." While that is only referring to an in-season move, it could be the beginning of a broader message from ownership.

The spending spree could be over, at least for now. The Devers deal absolutely improves this ballclub, but make no mistake about it, it also puts a damper on the pursuit of future free agents.

Past Free Agent Misses

Over the past decade, the Giants have become infamous for missing out on superstars in free agency. They were in on names like Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, and Corbin Burnes just to come away empty-handed.

While acquiring Rafael Devers does not necessarily erase those misses, it helps change the tone. If Devers were to hit the open market today, it'd be likely he'd get more than the $250 million and some he's owed. By locking him in now, midseason and through trade, the Giants might just have gotten themselves a bargain.

With that being said, not everybody around the league agrees. Apparently, some front offices view Devers' contract as being "underwater." When you compare the deal to some of the bloated pacts handed out recently, it's hard to not view that label as an overreaction.

Another important note in this conversation has to do with who's actually pulling the trigger on these moves. With Buster Posey now in the driver's seat, the approach has shifted dramatically. The trade for Devers not only improves the team, but turns the page on years of misses while changing the Giants' reputation around baseball.

Final Thoughts

This magnitude of a deal is a defining moment for the new era of Giants baseball. It shows urgency and it shows belief in this current clubhouse. Most of all, it shows that Buster Posey and company are tired of being little brothers in a loaded National League West.

While it may limit the flexibility in future free agency, trading for Rafael Devers changes the narrative around San Francisco, both for the team and around the league.