Three weeks into his tenure with the San Francisco Giants, Rafael Devers is helping the team maintain its position in the highly contested wild-card race, currently holding the third spot. Despite his performance being described as merely solid—batting .240/.348/.387 with two home runs—there are hopes that he will find his rhythm soon. This is a shift from his impressive numbers with the Boston Red Sox earlier this season, where he hit .272/.401/.504 with 15 home runs over 73 games.
At the moment, Devers has been primarily serving as the designated hitter for the Giants, though he has begun working out at first base. This is a significant development since he has never played there before, and previously declined to shift to the position for the Red Sox following a key injury to teammate Triston Casas. The Giants have arranged for Will Clark, a franchise legend and a former Gold Glove first baseman, to assist Devers with his transition. However, Clark revealed that Devers did not attend the initial workouts scheduled to take place during the weekend the Red Sox were in town, a decision likely motivated by the media scrutiny he was aiming to avoid. Clark expressed his understanding but also noted his determination to ensure Devers gets the necessary practice, even humorously stating he may need to “drag” him out next time.
Since the trade, the Giants have a record of 9-11, compared to the Red Sox’s 10-9, as they navigate a challenging season. They recently returned to San Francisco after a 10-game road trip, achieving a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in their first game back.
Despite the ups and downs, the Giants are still in a strong position at 50-42, sitting just one game ahead of their rivals, the San Diego Padres, in the wild-card race. With Devers adapting to his new environment and positions, the team and fans can remain optimistic about their potential for a playoff spot as the season progresses.