When the San Francisco Giants pulled off a blockbuster deal to land Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox back on June 15, it sent a jolt through the baseball world. One of the league’s premier sluggers heading west?

That’s the kind of move that shifts momentum – or at least that was the idea. With a surprisingly competitive first half in the books, president of baseball operations Buster Posey made a bold push, targeting a bat that could elevate San Francisco’s offense from league-average to legitimate threat.

Devers was meant to be the answer to the team’s glaring run-production issues. Three-time All-Star.

Proven postseason performer. Middle-of-the-order presence.

The kind of addition every contender dreams of making in June.

And truthfully, the trade made sense on paper. The Giants gave up a solid package – promising young arms Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks, top draft talent James Tibbs III, and prospect Jose Bello – but they were getting back a franchise-caliber hitter still in his prime.

The biggest uncertainty was where Devers would ultimately fit long term, especially with star third baseman Matt Chapman injured and top prospect Bryce Eldridge on the horizon at first base. Questions about defense and even bigger questions about the size and future of Devers’ contract?

Fair enough. But nobody was questioning if the guy could hit.

Fast-forward to today, and this deal that looked like a game-changer – well, it’s been a stunner for all the wrong reasons.

The Giants haven’t just stumbled since acquiring Devers – they’ve cratered. They’ve won just 22 games post-trade, the fewest in Major League Baseball during that span.

That’s fewer than the Twins, Rockies, and Nationals, all organizations that have spent chunks of this season with one eye on the future instead of the present. San Francisco, by contrast, went all-in.

And they’re getting lapped.

Meanwhile, in Boston, it’s been a different story. The Red Sox are thriving in the wake of the trade, going 36-24 – the third-best record in MLB over that span.

Record Since Rafael Devers Trade pic.twitter.com/QTcTMA3T0i

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) August 26, 2025

Only the Brewers and Blue Jays have been hotter. That development has raised eyebrows, to say the least.

Let’s be clear: the Giants’ collapse isn’t all on Devers. But he’s certainly not off the hook either.

Since the trade, he’s slashed a pedestrian .226/.336/.410 over 256 plate appearances, good for an OPS+ of 116. That’s not disastrous – that OPS+ means he’s still a tick above league average – but it’s a significant step down from the .272/.401/.504 line and 150 OPS+ he posted with Boston earlier this season.

When you trade for a star midseason, the expectation is that he moves the needle. So far, the needle has gone in the wrong direction.

Part of the disappointment comes because this wasn’t just about offensive stats – this was viewed as a cultural and lineup-altering swing. Devers was supposed to be the spark, the anchor in the middle of the order that protects hitters around him and gives the Giants a presence that demands attention night after night. Instead, the lineup has sputtered across the board, with offensive production declining almost universally since his arrival.

There’s still time to turn things around. Baseball is a long season, and Devers is too talented to stay in a funk forever. But there’s no sugarcoating what’s happened so far: a high-stakes trade that was supposed to fuel a playoff push has instead coincided with one of the worst stretches by any team in the league.

Now, the long-term picture gets more complicated. Devers’ contract, his position on the depth chart, questions about where Eldridge plays, Chapman’s health – all of that gets thrown back on the table.

But those are offseason debates. Right now, the question for the Giants is simpler and more urgent: can they stop the bleeding before the season slips even further away?

For a team that made the bold move, this isn’t the return they envisioned. Not close.