Buster Olney suggests a blockbuster move to the Bronx, allowing Rafael Devers to focus on his elite power stroke while solving the San Francisco Giants’ complex financial future.
Rafael Devers’ future with the San Francisco Giants has become uncertain again, more than a year after the organization acquired him from the Boston Red Sox in a stunning 2025 trade and began trying to make him feel at home.
Buster Olney from ESPN recently identified the New York Yankees as a potential destination for Devers this winter.
Olney presented the possibility as a cultural and lineup fit that could appeal to both sides, arguing that Devers would be ideally suited for the Yankees because he could focus exclusively on hitting.
“He would be perfect with the Yankees. All he would have to do is hit,” Olney said.
What’s next for Devers?
Devers arrived in San Francisco with the remainder of his 10-year, $313.5 million contract and significant expectations. The Giants believed his bat could immediately transform the middle of their batting order.
The transition was not seamless. Devers started slowly while adjusting to a different ballpark and unfamiliar teammates, creating doubts about whether the trade would ever benefit San Francisco.
He eventually found his rhythm and finished this season hitting .258 with 37 home runs, 98 RBIs and an .865 OPS in 148 games. A core-muscle injury ended his season with fewer than two weeks remaining.
His final production provided another reminder of the hitter the Giants expected to receive when they completed the trade.
Any attempt to move Devers would create complications for San Francisco. The Giants must account for the substantial money still guaranteed under his contract while recognizing that he just completed a 37-home run season.
The front office would need to determine whether the remaining financial commitment and contract length continue to align with its long-term plan.
That decision becomes even more important if the Giants intend to remain competitive rather than begin a complete rebuild.
A trade with the Yankees would almost certainly force San Francisco to cover a significant portion of Devers’ contract or obtain a collection of prospects and MLB roster pieces capable of helping replenish the farm system.
The possibility creates conflicting emotions for Giants fans. Devers demonstrated that his power can translate to a pitcher-friendly ballpark and provided the middle-of-the-order presence that San Francisco’s lineup had previously lacked.
However, the clubhouse environment and media expectations in San Francisco differ considerably from those surrounding the Yankees in the Bronx.
If Olney’s assessment that Devers prefers to concentrate on hitting without additional distractions is accurate, joining another organization could benefit both the player and the Giants.
Devers’ upside
Devers still has the ability to alter a game with one swing. His power forces pitchers to work carefully and gives the hitters around him better opportunities.
He also possesses the confidence to handle a prominent offensive role and the patience to recover from difficult stretches. His improvement after an uneven beginning in San Francisco demonstrated adaptability rather than immediate comfort.
Devers does not need to become an outspoken clubhouse figure to influence a team. His value comes through preparation, dangerous at-bats and the pressure his presence creates.
Whether San Francisco is willing to reopen a chapter it believed was settled will become one of the coming offseason’s most compelling questions.
