The Red Sox are trading three-time All-Star and face of the franchise Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants for a package of players highlighted by righthanded pitcher Jordan Hicks, sources confirmed to the Globe on Sunday.
Boston will receive the 28-year-old Hicks, as well as lefthanded swingman Kyle Harrison and a pair of low-minor leaguers — outfielder James Tibbs and rookie ball righthander Jose Bello, according to the Globe’s Alex Speier.
The move comes amid the best run of baseball this season for the Red Sox, who beat the Yankees in five out of six games on consecutive weekends. Boston swept AL East-leading New York the past three days at Fenway Park, including a 2-0 shutout on Sunday that included Devers’s 15th home run of the season.
He departs the Red Sox with 215 regular-season home runs and 696 RBIs in 1,053 games. Devers has a .955 OPS (.303/.382/.573) in 26 career postseason games, and was the last player from the team’s 2018 World Series victory still on the roster.
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The 28-year-old has a .905 OPS (.272/.401/.504) with 33 extra-base hits in his first season as a full-time designated hitter. He started each of Boston’s first 73 games — a first in his Red Sox career, and the only player on the team to do so.
His 57 RBIs entering Sunday were tied for third-most in the majors, and his 55 walks were second only to the Mets’ Juan Soto.
Prior to this year, Devers had been the primary third baseman since breaking in with the Sox in July 2017, becoming one of the game’s top hitters. His 190 home runs from 2018-24 tied for 12th-most in the majors, and Sunday’s was his 500th regular-season extra-base hit.
His below-average play at third base, however, helped the Red Sox choose to pursue and ultimately sign free agent Alex Bregman in February. Devers initially balked at being moved off his position, even for a Gold Glover, but ultimately assented. After an ugly 0 for 21 start to the season, he resumed his place as the team’s most dangerous hitter.
A season-ending injury to first baseman Triston Casas in May led to hopes from chief baseball officer Craig Breslow that Devers would try to play the other corner infield position, but he refused, holding his ground even after team owner John Henry — who also owns Boston Globe Media Partners — went to Kansas City to meet with his superstar player.
Henry signed Devers to the largest contract in franchise history, an 11-year, $331 million extension, in January 2023.
Hicks, a reliever for most of his seven-year career with the Cardinals and Blue Jays, is 1-5 with a 6.47 ERA this season in 13 games (nine starts) with San Francisco. Harrison, 24, is 1-1 with a 4.56 ERA in eight appearances.
This story will be updated.
