On June 15, James Tibbs III’s life changed when he was part of the Rafael Devers trade between the San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox. Tibbs was re-assigned to the Portland Sea Dogs, where he’s played since June 17. With these being his first games in AA, the Red Sox see Tibbs as a big part of their future.
Settling into his new home, the 22-year-old outfielder had a lot to say about being traded.
James Tibbs III’s Powerful Words to Boston Red Sox Fans
In his first 12 games with the Sea Dogs, Tibbs is hitting .283/.382/.348. His slugging percentage needs some work, as his OPS sits at .730. Regardless, he already has three RBIs in his first 46 at-bats. The former Giants first-round pick has proven that the power is there. Earlier this year, Tibbs hit 12 home runs as his slugging was close to .500.
James Tibbs III was apart of the Rafael Devers trade and understands that fans will have mixed emotions:
“Obviously I get the opinions and I completely understand it but my hope is that I change those opinions.” pic.twitter.com/FbLhP05yfi
— Jake “Iggy” Ignaszewski (@JakeIggy) July 1, 2025
Devers being traded was not something that Red Sox fans took lightly, with Tibbs having to experience the backlash of that. Tibbs took a different approach with his answer, and he tried to relate to the Boston faithful who were stunned by the trade.
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“People are going to have mixed opinions. I’ve been a sports fan my whole life. I grew up in Atlanta so I’ve seen trades and things go down that I wasn’t happy with, and as a sports fan I understand it.”
He continued, “None of that is lost on me but I’m still a human being. I still have a family, I have friends, I have a life and I have the emotions that go along with all this stuff. Obviously, it was sad leaving those guys, I had a great group of friends and I really enjoyed being out there. Sometimes it’s lost on people, the fact that we’re still human beings with emotion.
“I get those opinions, and I completely understand it, but my hope is that I change those opinions.
“My hope is that I prove to people that I’m a resilient guy that can play the game at a high level and can give it all I got, because that’s what I’m going to do for this organization and this group of guys.”
Since Devers’ first game in San Francisco on June 17, the team has gone 4-10. The Red Sox sport a 4-8 record in that same span. Without Alex Bregman, Boston continues to struggle. Between Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony, the Red Sox are rich with young prospects who can change the course of their franchise. Tibbs hopes to be next in line.