SF Giants need to get more out of Rafael Devers or trade could be huge mistake

Acquired at great expense to supercharge the SF Giants’ playoff hopes last June, things haven’t gone according to plan since Rafael Devers became the unofficial face of the franchise. The Giants played losing baseball after his acquisition and finished the season in familiar territory, at an even 81-81, and are off to an uninspired 9-13 start to begin this year. Unfortunately, Devers has been part of the problem that has led the Giants to have the worst run differential in the NL West.

It’s not a new thing for Devers’ bat to warm along with the weather. He started last year on a miserable 0-21 cold spell before recording his first hit, and his 15 strikeouts in the Red Sox’ first five games became a new record. He finished the season with a still-strong 135 wRC+, though, driving in 109 runs and recording 3.3 WAR. Before this season began, the Giants surely would have welcomed even a repeat performance, and now they need to pray for one.

SF Giants need Rafael Devers to turn things around

Devers has looked lost at the plate in his first 94 plate appearances, with a .225/.266/.315 line (62 wRC+) that’s more reminiscent of Patrick Bailey’s than a three-time All-Star on a $313 million contract. His strikeout rate of 29.8% and his .090 ISO would both represent career-lows were the season to end today, and going by the eye test, I’m sure a lot of us are surprised his strikeout rate is only that high. His 9.8% barrel rate and 47.5% hard-hit percentage all lag his 2020-25 peak of 13.5% and 52.6% in those respective categories as well.

There are still some signs that not all hope is lost, of course. Confusingly, his 37.7% ground ball and 23% line-drive rates would actually represent career bests, hopefully signaling that there’s been at least a little bad luck at play regarding Devers’ bottom line results. It’s pretty hard to be as bad as a -0.7 WAR player in 22 games, though, and that’s precisely what Devers has been worth.

He’s been pretty lousy on the other side of the ball, which drags his value down even further. After DH’ing for the first week or so due to a hamstring issue, his defense at the cold corner has looked worse than it did last year, and not even Ron Washington seems to know the remedy for it. There’s little question the team’s infield defense would be stronger with Arraez at first and Casey Schmitt at second, but Devers remains adamant that he’s a better hitter when he also plays the field, and we know he doesn’t much care for being asked to change his role.

It’s not as if the Giants have many options when it comes to handling Devers. He’s the highest-paid player on the team, and even with Bryce Eldridge knocking on the door, it’s hard to see any scenario that the Giants play winning baseball without Devers mashing in the middle of the order. Sending him down, trading him, benching him – all not realistic options for the veteran. Devers has to play through this lengthy dry spell and we all just need to cross our fingers that he remembers what he’s capable of. Sadly, we Giants fans have had to become pretty accustomed to living in the past.

Eventually the Giants have to get more out of him otherwise the trade for him may look like a huge mistake especially if James Tibbs III turns into something special with the Los Angeles Dodgers or Kyle Harrison realizes his potential with the Milwaukee Brewers.

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