SF Giants power bat has displayed an encouraging decline in one key stat

When the SF Giants traded for Rafael Devers last season, this came with a corresponding spike in his strikeout rate. That spike continued into this year, but he has lowered that number to 26.5 percent.

Devers posted a 29.4 percent strikeout rate in a Giants uniform last season. This came after recording a 22.8 percent strikeout rate with the Boston Red Sox. It raised that question of what changed, and why was he striking out so much more with San Francisco.

If a player approaches a 30 percent strikeout rate, then they really need to offset that with elite offensive ability. The good news is that the 10-year veteran has been that type of hitter throughout much of his career.

However, there were obvious concerns for a player of his age seeing a notable decline in his zone contact rates. That trend reversed course in 2026 and increased to 77.5 percent after that rate fell below 75 percent for consecutive seasons.

SF Giants power bat is making more contact, but it is coming at a cost

A high strikeout rate can be misleading because if it corresponds to a higher quality of contact, that is a tradeoff that teams are willing to make. That has not exactly been the case with Devers.

When Devers' zone contact rate declined, it led to better quality of contact metrics. In 2026, the zone contact rate has improved, but his .411 xwOBAcon is the worst mark he has posted since 2018. That is still a healthy number, but not the elite marks he has put up in recent years.

The good news is that Devers is making more contact this year, and his strikeout rate has decreased in the process. It shows that he has been capable of making more contact.

There is not necessarily any bad news. The left-handed bat is slashing .247/.319/.475 (117 wRC+) with 24 home runs, 64 RBI, and 64 runs in 494 plate appearances. This includes an extremely brutal start. Since May 1, he has tallied a 141 wRC+, which is right around where the Giants hoped he would be when they made the trade.

A lot of things have gone wrong for the Giants in 2026. Devers is under contract through the 2033 season, but at the very least, and not surprisingly, he is showing that he can be part of the solution. The Giants need to figure out the rest of the lineup.

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