The Boston Red Sox made one of the most shocking moves in franchise history on Sunday, sending veteran slugger Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in a blockbuster trade.
The deal has rightfully been criticized for its poor timing and lackluster return. Just hours after completing a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees, Boston traded Devers for right-hander Jordan Hicks, left-hander Kyle Harrison, minor-league outfielder James Tibbs III, and minor-league righty Jose Bello.
While the Red Sox dumped the $254 remaining on Devers' contract, that's still an underwhelming haul for one of the best hitters in baseball. These lopsided trades are becoming a trend in Boston as the infamous 2020 Mookie Betts deal remains fresh in fans' minds.
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SIGN UP HERE Regardless, the Red Sox have four new players in the organization as a result of the move, and a couple of them boast undeniable upside. Here's a breakdown of what each bring to the table:
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Jordan Hicks, RHP
Hicks has been one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in baseball since entering the league with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2018. The 28-year-old routinely threw his fastball in the 103-105 mph range early in his career, though he averages roughly 97 mph these days.
After spending his first seven MLB seasons as a reliever, Hicks joined the Giants' starting rotation before the 2024 season. The experiment didn't really work out, as Hicks compiled a 4.83 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 42 appearances (29 starts) over his one-and-a-half seasons in San Francisco.
This season has been Hicks' worst yet. The Houston native has a 6.47 ERA and 1.54 WHIP over 13 outings (nine starts). The Giants moved him back into the bullpen in May.
Hicks is currently on the 15-day injured list with toe inflammation and is expected to return later this month.
Kyle Harrison, LHP
Harrison is the biggest piece of this deal for Boston. The 23-year-old southpaw has tremendous upside as he entered the 2024 season as the No. 1 left-handed pitching prospect in the sport.
So far in his big-league career, Harrison's results have been mixed. He posted a 4.56 ERA and 1.34 WHIP with 118 strikeouts and 42 walks in 24 starts last year, his first full season in the majors. In eight appearances (four starts) this season, Harrison has a 4.56 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with 25 strikeouts and nine walks.
Harrison's biggest improvement since last year has been his fastball velocity. He averaged 92.5 mph with batters hitting .249 against his fastball in 2024. This season, the pitch has averaged 95.1 mph with a BAA of .175.
The Red Sox optioned Harrison to Triple-A Worcester following the trade, but it shouldn't be long before we see him take the mound for Boston.
James Tibbs III, OF
The Giants took Tibbs with the 13th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, one pick after the Red Sox selected fellow outfielder Braden Montgomery, whom they shipped to the Chicago White Sox in their offseason deal for left-hander Garrett Crochet.
Tibbs was the No. 3 ranked prospect in San Francisco's organization, per Baseball America. MLB Pipeline ranks him sixth among Red Sox prospects -- fourth if you don't count big-leaguers Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer.
The 22-year-old hit .246 with 12 homers, 32 RBI, 42 walks and 45 strikeouts in 57 games for High-A Eugene this season. He hit 55 homers in three seasons at Florida State.
Tibbs will report to Double-A Portland.
Jose Bello, RHP
The Giants signed Bello as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2023. The 20-year-old righty recorded a 2.00 ERA across eight rookie-ball appearances (18 innings) this season, striking out 28 batters and walking three.
Those numbers are impressive, but with such a small sample size, it's impossible to tell what kind of upside Bello brings to the organization.