A blockbuster $313.5 million trade idea is making waves, suggesting the New York Yankees could acquire three-time All-Star Rafael Devers from the San Francisco Giants. But hold up, anyone looking at the Yankees’ roster right now has to wonder: what exactly are we doing here? This potential deal, despite Devers’ star power, looks like a serious misstep for a couple of glaring reasons.
Too Many DHs, Not Enough Spots
The Yankees are already absolutely stacked with players who could spend time at designated hitter or first base in 2027. We’re talking about Ben Rice, Luis Garcia Jr., Giancarlo Stanton, and even Aaron Judge. Bringing in Devers, who smashed 37 home runs last season, just clogs things up even more. Zachary D. Rymer, who cooked up this trade concept, suggests it only makes sense if Stanton is out the door, possibly traded or released. In that scenario, Garcia would slide to another middle infield spot, Rice would take first base, and Judge, despite injury concerns, would hold down right field. But even with Stanton gone, that’s a whole lot of shuffling and moving parts just to accommodate *another* DH type when you already have guys who can do it. Devers might hit at Yankee Stadium like he belongs there, with his 18 homers in New York being his most in any non-home stadium, but a talent fit still needs a roster fit.
That Hefty Contract Is a Problem
Beyond the roster fit, there’s the cold, hard cash, and it’s a lot of it. Devers, who is currently 30 years old, signed a massive long-term extension with the Boston Red Sox before heading to the Giants. San Francisco still owes him over $200 million. That deal runs all the way through the 2033 season, by which time Devers will be 36 and almost certainly in the final stages of his career. Are the Yankees really going to take on over $200 million for a player who will be in his late thirties by the end of the contract, especially when they don’t even *need* another bat of his type? That’s a huge commitment for a team that has to be smart with their long-term money and roster construction.
The proposed deal, which would send right-handers Luis Gil and Carlo Lagrange to the Giants for Devers, is one of those “big name, big money” ideas that sounds flashy on paper but just doesn’t quite add up when you dig into the details. The Yankees need to be careful not to fall into the trap of acquiring a high-priced, redundant asset. They’ve got to focus on filling actual holes, not creating more roster puzzles.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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