The Giants got their guy in Rafael Devers with Sunday's shocking blockbuster trade, but they weren't the only ones interested in acquiring the three-time MLB All-Star.
In a press conference via Zoom on Monday, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow revealed what went into Boston's decision to trade its prized slugger to San Francisco in return for pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison, as well as prospects James Tibbs III and Jose Bello -- a return package that left many of the team's fans fuming.
"There were a number of paths that we felt like we could explore in order to get a more kind of cohesive and more functional roster," Breslow said. "This was one of them, and it was ultimately the path that we went down. Now, whether or not we negotiated with one team exclusively ... I have seen some commentary that we didn't shop this deal, whatever that means. And I don't know that it makes a ton of sense to get into the kind of mechanics or strategy, but I do believe we had a thorough process, and we had a good idea of what the market would or could look like, and this was a deal that we felt like made sense ...
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SIGN UP HERE "I think we rightfully set a really high bar in order to execute a trade of this magnitude. And we did have conversations with other clubs. We got a sense for the way that they might behave, whether it was today or a few weeks from now, and felt like this -- it's not that this was the best deal that we could get, because the best deal that we could get may not necessarily be good enough to trade a player like Raffy Devers, but when you consider all of the factors here, this is the one that made sense. This is the path that we went down, and so we ended up where we did."
There was plenty that went into Boston's decision to trade Devers after some early season drama over his role with the team, during which the 28-year-old was moved from third base to designated hitter before eventually refusing to play first following an injury to his Red Sox teammate Triston Casas.
But now Devers will try to help the Giants win in a new setting, and the Red Sox feel good about what they received in return. Breslow stated the trade helps Boston address some of its starting pitching and bullpen needs while giving the team assets to potentially utilize as the MLB trade deadline approaches.
Breslow expressed excitement in bringing on Hicks, who the team views as a late-inning reliever, and Harrison, who they envision as a front-of-the-rotation starter after he develops more in the minor leagues. He described Tibbs as a hitter who "makes great swing decisions" and Bello as "an exciting young arm."
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"I understand the reaction from fans, the criticism that we are taking, the surprise," Breslow said. "I do understand all of that, and I also will stand here and say that we would not have made this trade if we didn't think it was best for the organization and the vision and the beliefs and culture that we're trying to create.
"We have a number of young players who are in the big leagues, and we're really excited about them, and we're very deliberate and intentional about the environment that we want to create."
As Devers prepares to make his Giants debut against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday at Oracle Park, it won't be immediately clear who won the trade. But it's clear after assessing the market, the Red Sox believe they got the best deal available.