After numerous failed pursuits over the years, the Giants finally were able to land a superstar hitter.
San Francisco, by acquiring slugging infielder/designated hitter Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, added the caliber of player they long have sought in free agency, only for big names like Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani to sign elsewhere in recent years.
Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey, the man who pulled off the seismic trade, joined KNBR 680's "Murph & Markus" on Monday morning and was asked if the trade for Devers was motivated by San Francisco's struggles to recruit free-agent hitters.
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SIGN UP HERE "Yeah, it's been tough to get free-agent hitters here," Posey said. "No doubt. So that was part of the thought in this, and again, it's a credit to our ownership group as far as seizing an opportunity to bring a big bat in and make such a commitment.
"I guess you never know. Long-term, the hope still is that we draft well, we develop great hitters. I still believe that's the recipe for success. But when you have foundational pieces like we do right now as far as Devers and [Jung Hoo] Lee and [Matt] Chapman and [Willy] Adames and [Heliot] Ramos is coming on strong, you feel like you're in a good position. Now it's up to us as a group to get some of those homegrown players up here and continue to put great players out."
Similarly to adding a superstar hitter in free agency, the Giants now are on the hook for an eye-popping contract, with Devers set to make roughly $250 million over the next eight-plus seasons after the 28-year-old originally signed a 10-year, $313.5 million extension with Boston in Jan. 2023.
However, the three-time MLB All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger could be worth every penny.
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Devers has a career .850 OPS, and in 73 games with Boston this season, batted .272/.401/.504 with 15 home runs, 58 RBI and 56 walks in 334 plate appearances.
He now joins a Giants' lineup that, despite significant moves for Adames, Chapman and Lee over the last two offseasons, still has felt one big bat short at times.
Not anymore.