Unless more trades follow, it seems unlikely the Red Sox (37-36) are equipped to win more games the rest of the season than they were before sending Devers to the San Francisco Giants for right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks, left-hander Kyle Harrison and prospects James Tibbs III and Jose Bello.
Hicks, 28, has a career 4.23 earned run average, including a 6.47 ERA this season in 13 games (nine starts). Harrison, in his third MLB season, has pitched 182.2 career innings with a 4.48 ERA.
Tibbs is hitting .246 in High-A after being selected No. 13 overall in the 2024 MLB Draft. Meanwhile, MLB.com’s Brent Maguire wrote, “There’s a long way to go to see how Bello could profile in the majors,” with an estimated time of arrival to The Show in either 2028 or 2029.
After a rough start to the season, Devers had been Boston’s most productive hitter over its last 60 games, leading the team in runs (32) and RBI (44), per FanGraphs.
The Sox are still without third baseman Alex Bregman (quad), whose offseason signing instigated the drama that led to the Devers trade. While he’s made positive strides in his recovery, Manager Alex Cora recently said, “We’ve got a ways for him to get at-bats here.”
Per Baseball Reference, Devers, who moved from third base to designated hitter to accommodate Bregman, helped Boston to rank second in designated hitter wins above replacement (WAR) this season, only behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have had three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani take 97.3% of their at-bats at designated hitter.
On Monday, Yahoo Sports contributing writer Joon Lee wrote about the growing dysfunction within the Red Sox organization, including a disconnect between Cora, who prefers to rely on veterans, and the front office, which would rather young prospects get playing time.
“Cora has managed like someone who knows his legacy is on the line,” Lee wrote, “leaning into experience over upside, even when it conflicts with the long-term plan.”
If the front office gets its wish, Boston will almost certainly decline during the season’s second half based on its prospects’ early returns.
Heralded outfielder Roman Anthony, MLB’s No. 1 prospect, has one hit in his first 19 plate appearances and a .059 batting average entering Monday. Rookie Kristian Campbell has a .225 average entering Monday and is arguably the league’s worst defensive second baseman. Per Baseball Savant, he ranks in the bottom 2% in fielding run value and bottom 1% in outs above average.
The Red Sox also lack quality depth in their starting pitching rotation, and it’s unclear how much Harrison and Hicks will help.
Since April 26, ace Garrett Crochet and right-hander Brayan Bello are the team’s only starters with a sub-4.00 ERA. Lucas Giolito, Hunter Dobbins, Walker Buehler, Tanner Houck and Richard Fitts have combined to post a 6-7 record with a 5.81 ERA in 27 starts (h/t FanGraphs)
At best, Breslow’s comments are simply an attempt at damage control and to spin the Devers trade as a positive. At worst, they indicate a glaring lack of awareness.
Few, if any, teams get better by trading their best hitter. Breslow might find that out the hard way.
