Red Sox
“The Giants refused to consider including him in the deal.”
One of the primary sticking points with Red Sox fans when it comes to Rafael Devers’ trade to the Giants revolves around the muted return Boston secured in exchange for one of the top sluggers in baseball.
Boston acquired pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison — along with prospects James Tibbs and Jose Bello — in the trade, with the Giants adding Devers (and the entirety of his hefty contract extension).
Hicks, 28, has struggled as a starter pitcher with a 6.47 ERA this season, while the 23-year-old Harrison will open his Red Sox career in Triple-A Worcester after sporting a 4.56 ERA in the big leagues in 2025.
Tibbs is a 22-year-old outfielder that last played in High-A ball in San Francisco’s system, and was ranked as the Giants’ No. 3 prospect by Baseball America. Bello, 20, is currently pitching in rookie ball in Florida.
Boston’s top priority beyond just moving Devers out of the clubhouse might have revolved around freeing up the spending flexibility by getting the more than $250 million remaining in his deal off the books.
But, according to a new report, the Red Sox also made an effort to acquire the Giants’ top prospect Bryce Eldridge.
The Red Sox initially ‘”insisted upon 20-year-old first base prospect Bryce Eldridge” in the early stages of Devers trade talks with San Francisco, according to The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly. But, the “Giants refused to consider including him in the deal,” Baggarly wrote.
It should come as little surprise that the Red Sox would have honed in on Eldridge in any deal — especially one centered around a star slugger like Devers.
Eldridge, who is already playing in Triple-A ball, is ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 19 prospect and the top youngster in San Francisco’s system. The 20-year-old has struggled so far at the top level of the minor leagues (.174 batting average, three home runs, 12 RBI in 12 games), but did bat .280 with seven home runs and 20 RBI in 34 games with Double-A Richmond earlier this year.
The 6-foot-7 Eldridge would make plenty of sense for a Red Sox team that is already embracing a youth movement.
Unlike the roster logjam that the Red Sox are currency dealing with when it comes to both their outfield and middle infield, Boston could use a long-term solution at first base like Eldridge — especially with Triston Casas’ future with Boston up in the air following a season-ending knee injury.
Ironically, Eldridge could potentially have his path to the big leagues blocked by Devers, who is expected to play some first base moving forward with his new team.
“We see [Eldridge’s] development path as the same,” Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey said Tuesday. “He’s going to keep [playing at] first, keep developing at the plate. It’s a conversation Raffy and I have had already about Bryce and the future that we potentially see him having.”
While the Red Sox eventually opted for a more pitcher-heavy package for Devers, Posey acknowledged on Tuesday that Sunday’s trade was the result of extended negotiations between both teams.
“It’s something has been in the works for three or four weeks,” Posey said. “[Giants GM] Zack [Minasian] had conversations with their group, then eventually, myself and Craig Breslow the last week to 10 days. It was good.
“Obviously, negotiations are going to go back and forth but I was texting with Craig today and we were just thanking each other for the candor and respect that went into this negotiation.”
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