The Giants’ reported willingness to listen on almost everyone has opened the door to a wild idea for the Yankees: Rafael Devers in pinstripes.
According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman on Monday, San Francisco is making it clear that nearly the entire roster is in play, with just two exceptions. “The Giants are sending the message nearly everyone is available but outfielder Jung Hoo Lee and ace Logan Webb,” Heyman reports. “But in their condition, perhaps they could be talked into it.”
Devers wasn’t specifically named, but that only adds to the intrigue. If he’s available, the real question is whether the Yankees would be willing to absorb the kind of contract that comes with him. Devers is owed $28.5 million per year through 2033, according to Spotrac, which runs all the way to his age-36 season.
That’s a massive commitment, but it’s also the sort of deal the Yankees can actually entertain. If Hal Steinbrenner wants to chase the kind of contract-dump star acquisition his father once would have pursued, this is the lane.
And the fit is obvious. Third base has been a weak spot for the Yankees ever since the trade that sent Gio Urshela to the Twins. Since 2022, they’ve posted a 93 wRC+ at the position, which ranks 16th in baseball, along with a .683 OPS that sits 19th.
Devers would change that immediately. He’s a career .274/.347/.504 hitter with a 126 wRC+, and even in what qualifies as a down year by his standards, he’s still hitting .249/.319/.479 with a 118 WRC+.
There’s also a reason to think the environment could unlock more. In San Francisco, Devers is pulling fly balls at a 15.6% clip, which may be by design.
Put that swing in Yankee Stadium, and the short porch in right field becomes a serious weapon. He already does his best damage in the air, hitting .407 on balls he lifts with a .641 wOBA and a 94.9 mph average exit velocity.
He’s already shown what that kind of power looks like this month. Earlier in June, Devers absolutely crushed a ball in Colorado, launching a moonshot to the upper deck in right. The blast was measured at 110.3 mph off the bat and traveled 463 feet.
There are concerns that come with him, too. Devers has drawn attention for being outspoken about how he was used defensively in Boston, and more recently for shooing away a pinch runner in the ninth inning.
But he’s also the kind of hitter who could thrive in the Bronx. In 64 all-time games at Yankee Stadium, he’s hit .266 with an .855 OPS and 18 home runs.
And then there’s the Boston angle, which only sharpens the appeal. Devers’ exit from the Red Sox was abrupt, coming on a random Sunday afternoon in June after he homered off Max Fried.
He came through Boston’s system, helped them win the 2018 World Series, and was paid accordingly. He’s also been a postseason force, with eight home runs in 89 playoff at-bats.
If the Yankees want a bat with power, pedigree, and a built-in edge against their biggest rival, Devers checks every box. The idea of him winning a title in pinstripes would hit Red Sox fans exactly where it hurts.
The Yankees have made this kind of splash before under Brian Cashman. They landed Alex Rodríguez before the 2004 season after the Red Sox and Rangers trade fell apart, and they brought in Giancarlo Stanton from the Marlins in 2018. Devers could be the next big swing, and his power profile would fit neatly between Aaron Judge and Ben Rice.
That kind of top three would be hard to top anywhere in baseball. Which is why the Yankees should be on the phone with the Giants right now.
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Joe Girardi was not having it, pushing back on the notion that the Yankees should be thinking that far ahead and making clear any change to Schlittlers usage would have to come down to workload, not gamesmanship. Fans mostly met the whole premise with eye rolls online, treating it as another example of overthinking from a team that still has plenty to sort out before anyone should be mapping out a World Series opponent. [Read more 🡒]
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One name drawing attention is Jonah Heim, whose profile fits what New York is seeking because of his track record against left-handed pitching and his reputation as a former All-Star and Gold Glove winner. His overall offensive numbers have been uneven, which is part of why the Yankees are still weighing other possibilities, but the bigger issue now is whether they can find a deal that makes sense before the deadline market tightens further. [Read more 🡒]