Red Sox’s Rafael Devers trade — Why Yankees sit out third baseman sweepstakes

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In one of the most stunning midseason moves in recent memory, the Boston Red Sox have traded All-Star slugger Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants. The ripple effects are being felt across Major League Baseball — and perhaps nowhere more than in the Bronx.

Devers, a Yankees’ nemesis by every statistical measure, had long been a thorn in New York’s side. Yet the New York Yankees didn’t so much as kick the tires on acquiring him. As the Red Sox shipped their franchise cornerstone west in exchange for right-hander Jordan Hicks, left-hander Kyle Harrison, and two high-upside prospects, Yankees brass stood down. This was despite they have a clear need for their infield in general and third base in particular.

But, why? What dissuaded them?

A rivalry move that wasn’t meant to be

The Yankees have seen more than enough of Devers over the years. In 119 games against New York, Devers compiled a .270 average, 31 home runs, 78 RBIs and a .533 slugging percentage. Against ace Gerrit Cole alone, he hit .350 with eight home runs and a 1.410+ OPS.

“He’s been a one-man wrecking crew against us,” a Yankees reliever admitted after the deal. “So yeah, it’s a relief.”

The trade came just hours after Devers’ final homer in a Red Sox uniform — naturally, against the Yankees during Boston’s sweep at Fenway Park.

Yankees pass on: Strategic, not passive

Despite the pain Devers has inflicted, Yankees GM Brian Cashman never got involved. The reason isn’t a lack of interest in talent — it’s layered in financial caution, positional redundancy, and front office philosophy.

Too expensive, too long

Devers is in Year 2 of a 10-year, $313.5 million deal signed in January 2023. With over $255 million still owed, the Giants agreed to absorb the entire salary. For the Yankees, already carrying major commitments to Aaron Judge, Carlos Rodon, and Giancarlo Stanton, that price tag was a nonstarter.

“They like the bat, sure,” one AL executive told PinstripesNation.com. “But $260 million for a DH-type? That’s not how Cashman builds anymore.”

The financial flexibility the Yankees are preserving is being pointed toward their rotation, not the middle of the order.

No fit at third — or at DH

Devers’ defensive struggles have accelerated in recent seasons. He ranks among the bottom five in MLB at third base by both Outs Above Average and Defensive Runs Saved for two straight years. In short, he’s not someone the Yankees saw as a long-term answer on the infield.

With LeMahieu back healthy, Oswald Peraza rehabbing, and top prospect George Lombard Jr. surging in the minors, New York wasn’t willing to block its pipeline. They also weren’t about to recreate another Giancarlo Stanton-style DH logjam.

Red Sox blocked the door anyway

Even if the Yankees were interested, there was little appetite in Boston to send their franchise slugger to their biggest rival. In-division trades are already rare; ones involving All-Stars are nearly non-existent.

The last time the two teams made any noise together was a minor Stephen Drew–Kelly Johnson swap in 2014. Anything bigger is treated like heresy.

Insiders say the price to send Devers to the Bronx would have started with Spencer Jones and Jasson Dominguez — and even then, the Red Sox front office wasn’t likely to budge.

Yankees’ eyes on pitching, not power

While the Giants pushed all-in for offense, the Yankees have made their needs clear: it’s about arms.

With Luis Gil sidelined, Carlos Rodon uneven, and Gerrit Cole out of picture, New York is aggressively scouting starters like Sandy Alcantara and Erick Fedde.

“Cash is focused on October pitching, not July headlines,” a Yankees official texted to an MLB insider.

Taking on Devers’ salary — or giving up prospect capital — would have impeded those rotation upgrade plans.

Yankee reactions: Relief, not regret

The move stunned executives and players alike.

ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that a Yankees executive texted him simply: “Good riddance. Thank God, because this guy murders us.”

Manager Aaron Boone reportedly replied to analysts with a shocked emoji.

And Gerrit Cole? He no longer has to see the one left-handed bat that seemed built to torment him. In 42 career at-bats against Cole, Devers had eight homers, 21 RBIs and a 1.423 OPS.

The Red Sox front office cited “roster recalibration and long-term financial flexibility.” While the return package is respectable — especially lefty Kyle Harrison’s upside — it’s clear Boston prioritized salary dump over top-tier talent.

This trade signals a shift in vision. Even after sweeping the Yankees, the Sox sit fourth in the AL East. The move hints at a focus on 2026 and beyond.

Final verdict: Did Yankees miss out on Devers?

On paper, yes — Rafael Devers is a top-10 offensive talent in the game. But in reality, the Yankees passed for all the right reasons:

They preserved financial flexibility.

They protected their farm system.

They avoided repeating the Stanton logjam.

They can now reallocate those resources to bolster a faltering rotation.

Most importantly, Devers is gone from the AL East. That, by itself, is a win.

“We’ll take that trade every day,” a Yankees player said privately. “We didn’t gain a hitter, but we lost our biggest problem. That’s subtraction by addition — for us.”

Now, all eyes turn to what the Yankees do next. With the trade deadline looming and the offense sputtering, Cashman has work to do.

But one thing is certain — it won’t involve Rafael Devers anymore.

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