Rafael Devers keeps looking less like a problem and more like a backbone for the SF Giants.
When the Giants went after him last year, the obvious upside was the bat. That part has always been easy to see. What’s become harder for some people to ignore is the way he’s showing up as a veteran presence, too.
Rookie outfielder Jonah Cox recently said on 95.7 The Game that Devers has been a steady hand in hitters’ meetings and a helpful voice for younger players.
“He's been talking in our hitters' meetings like 'Hey man like I've seen this guy before, this is what he likes to do.' Seeing him talk in there and then go out on the field an hour later and execute is really cool to see."
Cox isn’t the first Giant to describe Devers that way. After Mike Yastrzemski was traded to the Kansas City Royals last year, he also spoke highly of Devers and made the same basic point: Devers was valuable because he was willing to share scouting information on opposing pitchers and help teammates prepare.
That matters because it pushes back against the “clubhouse cancer” label that has followed Devers in some places. Boston has been the loudest source of that storyline, but the Giants’ version of Devers doesn’t match it.
None of this turns him into a flawless figure. His refusal to play first base in Boston was a bad look, and the episode earlier this year when he tried to reject a pinch runner with the Giants was another moment that simply can’t happen.
Still, the picture inside the clubhouse sounds different. Devers appears to be willing to help, and his teammates seem to appreciate him. His distance from the media and the size of his contract may help fuel a version of him that doesn’t line up with what’s happening behind the scenes.
Tony Vitello has also spoken about how much fun Devers is having right now. That stands out considering the Giants are in a rough season and likely to finish 30 games under .500, but Devers keeps hammering the ball anyway.
Over his last 15 games, he’s hit .327/.463/.727 with seven home runs and 14 runs batted in. He has 32 home runs on the season, and there’s a real chance he becomes the first Giants player since Barry Bonds to reach 40.
For the Giants, this is the version they thought they were getting: a dangerous hitter who could change a lineup. He may not be dragging the club into contention, but he is giving them big swings, some electricity, and, by the sound of it, real value in the room as well.
In Other News...
Giants Future Lineup Suddenly Looks Better Than This Injury Mess
The present-day Giants have spent too much time dealing with injuries to feel settled, which is why any look ahead comes with a little relief baked in. A projected 2027 lineup gives the organization a chance to imagine a more balanced roster, one built around a blend of young pieces and established names that could help San Francisco look less like a survival exercise and more like a club with real shape again.
Drew Gilbert and Jonah Cox are part of that conversation in center, with Bryce Eldridge slotted for first base or designated hitter and a catcher timeshare providing more depth behind the plate. Around them, the idea is that players such as Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Jung Hoo Lee could give the Giants enough proven production to support the younger core if the injury luck finally starts to turn. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Rookie Already Faces One Tough Question About His Role
Matt Wilkinsons first weeks in the Giants rotation have already put a spotlight on how his stuff plays against different types of hitters. The rookie left-hander has shown a clear split in performance, and his recent start against right-handed batters was especially rough, with seven runs and three home runs allowed over three innings. For a club trying to sort out its pitching mix on the fly, those kinds of differences can quickly turn from a short-term hiccup into a bigger conversation about usage.
The Giants are still giving Wilkinson a chance to work as a starter, but the long view could depend on whether those platoon issues stick around. If right-handed hitters continue to give him trouble and lefties remain a better match, the team may have to decide whether his best value is in the rotation or in a more specialized left-on-left role. For now, the rookies place on the staff is secure enough, but the question hanging over him is the kind that can shape a season early. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Fans Have Every Reason To Be Furious Over Tony Vitello
Tony Vitellos early run as Giants manager has already started to take on the kind of edge that can make a season feel louder than it should. In the latest flashpoint against the Mets, Vitello was tossed after disputing a call at the plate, adding another heated moment to a stretch that has already put him squarely in the middle of umpire questions and clubhouse frustration.
The bigger issue for San Francisco is not just one argument, but the pattern that keeps following him. Vitello has already been ejected recently, and the Giants have also dealt with Ron Wotus getting run out of a game the next day in a separate dustup over the lineup card, which only adds to the sense that this team is spending too much time talking about officiating and not enough about baseball. With umpire conduct under scrutiny and the push toward more automated decision-making never far away, the Giants are finding themselves in the middle of a conversation that seems headed for a larger stage. [Read more 🡒]