Willy Adames was the first Giants player to react to San Francisco's stunning blockbuster trade to acquire three-time AL All-Star Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.
Adames was mic'd up during the bottom of the second inning of ESPN's broadcast of the Giants' "Sunday Night Baseball" game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"Everybody is so excited, man," Adames told Karl Ravech and Eduardo Perez. "Me, personally, I'm thrilled to have him on the team. Obviously, he's one of the best hitters in the game and to have him on the team, I think it's going to help us to do a lot of damage in this division. And, obviously, we need a bat like him in this lineup, so when we get [Matt Chapman] back in the lineup, it's going to be exciting."
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SIGN UP HERE Adames revealed that he and his Giants teammates found out about the trade 15 or 20 minutes before the game began at 4 p.m. PT.
The Giants announced the trade -- which sends right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks, left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison, 2024 first-round draft pick James Tibbs III and low-level pitching prospect Jose Bello to the Red Sox -- at 5:49 p.m. PT, in the middle of Sunday's game.
Adames spoke about what the Devers move says about first-year president of baseball operations Buster Posey.
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"Just to build this chemistry and this energy here in San Francisco that they had when he was playing," Adames told Ravech and Perez. "Just to build a team that can compete and is going to be out here trying to win, trying to win some division championships and some World Series. So that was the initial plan and he's delivering with that trade right now. The whole clubhouse is excited, so it shows you he's doing something special."
Harrison was scheduled to start Sunday and was warming up in the Dodger Stadium bullpen when he was informed of the trade. Reliever Sean Hjelle quickly got loose, started and pitched 3 2/3 innings. He allowed three hits, two earned runs and struck out five.
As for Devers, Adames has a simple plan to make the 28-year-old feel welcome in San Francisco.
"To make him feel like home, man," Adames told Ravech and Perez. "We want him to feel comfortable and to feel like he's just going to come out here and play and just do his game. We're just thrilled to have him and everybody's excited, so just make him feel like home."
The Giants entered Sunday's game in Los Angeles one game behind the Dodgers for first place in the NL West, and Devers certainly changes the equation.
"I feel like it sends a message that we're going to compete, that we're going to do whatever it takes to try to come over here and win the division," Adames said.
Posey and the Giants swung for the fences by acquiring the two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, and San Francisco is building a formidable core with Devers, Adames, Chapman, Jung Hoo Lee and Heliot Ramos.
Devers is under contract for eight more seasons at a cost of $254.5 million, giving the Giants another pillar in their lineup.
Now, all these big-time pieces have to deliver on the field.