The San Francisco Giants are going to be trade deadline sellers this season, but one player is all but guaranteed to stay put: Rafael Devers.
A $313.5 million slugger in the middle of a 10-year contract, Devers would be a massive ask for any team to take on, let alone trade for. As MLB insider Andy McCullough notes, the Giants would be "absolutely shocked" if they could move Devers' contract.
The Giants are indeed going to be sellers at the trade deadline, and there are plenty of interesting names worth considering from the Giants' roster. Luis Arraez and Robbie Ray are the two headliners as rental options, but Heliot Ramos is another player who could fetch some legitimate trade interest.
However, Devers' massive contract is a real problem for the Giants in potential trade conversations. Teams would likely ask the Giants to take on some of that contract to consider a trade, and if the Giants did somehow find a team willing to take on his deal, the other team probably wouldn't want to give up much in return.
It's almost a guarantee that Devers will stay with the Giants, barring some unforeseen interest from a desperate MLB team. For now, Devers is a Giant and doesn't look likely to be leaving anytime soon.
Despite his impressive hitting numbers this season, posting a solid .796 OPS after a slow start, Devers' contract is a major hurdle to any potential trade. His value as a player is reduced by his expensive contract, making him a less appealing target for teams looking to make a splash at the deadline.
The Giants are effectively stuck with Devers, and it's hard to see a scenario where they trade him. Unless something drastic changes, Devers will continue to wear a Giants uniform for the foreseeable future.
The trade deadline is just around the corner, and the Giants will be looking to move some of their other assets to bolster their roster. But Devers is not going anywhere, at least not for now.
Source: Yahoo Sports