The Rafael Devers trade shocked Boston to its core when it was originally reported by FanSided's Robert Murray. The deal itself sent Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison along with two prospects in return for the slugging lefty. While Devers hasn't performed up to his standard so far in San Francisco, the Giants can declare themselves winners of this trade assuming one of those lottery ticket prospects – right-handed pitcher Jose Bello – doesn't cash.
The Red Sox traded Kyle Harrison as part of a package for Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin on Monday. This comes in the same offseason Boston dealt Hicks, as well. While Boston fans may loathe Craig Breslow's decision to trade Devers in the first place, he seems more than willing to admit his mistake on a national stage. Boston only has one shot left.
Why the Red Sox traded Rafael Devers, explained
The Red Sox traded Devers because they felt they didn't have a choice. Boston's franchise icon was unhappy, as the front office and manager Alex Cora were pushing him to change positions. Devers was more comfortable at third base, but not the defensive player he once was. In fact, he was costing the Red Sox in the field. That's why Boston signed Alex Bregman, who eventually became Devers' short-term replacement when he was traded to the Giants.
Had these two sides learned to use their words rather than subliminal messaging on social media or through reporters, perhaps a divorce could've been avoided. Instead, Devers pouted and the Red Sox pivoted, getting as much as they could for one of the best hitters in baseball.
Unfortunately for the Red Sox, the Giants were more than aware of Devers lack of defensive prowess as well, hence the low price tag. Hicks and Harrison were fine trade pieces, but haven't become the players Boston hoped. James Tibbs III, who at the time was the Giants No. 4 prospect, has since been traded elsewhere. The jury remains out on Bello, but he has a mountain of expectations to climb before the Red Sox can remotely consider the Devers trade worthwhile. It doesn't help that Boston lost Bregman to free agency this winter, either.
Meet Jose Bello, the Red Sox last hope to win the Devers deal
Jose Bello is the Red Sox 55th-ranked prospect as of this writing, per SoxProspects.com. He's still just 20 years old and from the Dominican Republic, hence the fact that there is no photograph in our database of him. None of Bello's pitches are particularly overwhelming from a velocity standpoint, as his fastball tops out around 94 MPH. He also features a cutter, slider and changeup while throwing from the three-quarters arm slot.
Bello was an afterthought in the Red Sox system until 2025, when he put together his best season to date and was called up to A-ball. Here's how his statistics looked across three levels of minor-league baseball.
Team | Level | ERA |
|---|---|---|
ACL Giants | ACL | 2.00 |
FCL Red Sox | FCL | 3.14 |
Salem Red Sox | A | 3.09 |
But at just 20, Bello still has a few years before he's expected to make a real impact at the MLB level. The fact he's already pitching well in A-ball, albeit in relief outings primarily, is a good sign for what's to come. Bello should receive a real chance in Double-A at some point in 2026 if he keeps pitching this well. From there, he's just a couple of injuries away from appearing out of the bullpen in Boston depending on performance and injury luck.
Can one pitcher really turn the tide of the Devers deal?
Sadly, not really. Unless Bello wins a Cy Young award or leads Boston's rotation in the near future, the Devers trade will be thought of as nothing more than a salary cap that broke promises to the fanbase. Why the Red Sox signed Devers to a 10-year extension in the first place is beyond anyone with an eye on this front office, especially if they were willing to trade him just a few years later.
Bello could turn out to be a pretty good MLB relief pitcher, but the odds aren't in his favor. Most minor-league pitchers of his stature flame out and don't make it beyond Triple-A. It's why a promotion to the show is so coveted.
No matter how Bello performs, the Red Sox lost the optics of the Devers trade by how they treated him in the leadup, and the limited impact they've received nearly a year later.