The Boston Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to San Francisco Giants, receiving a group of pitchers in return, including left-hander Kyle Harrison, reliever Jordan Hicks, and two prospects, outfield prospect James Tibbs III and minor-league pitcher Jose Bello.
For the Giants, bringing in Devers strengthens their lineup as they look to make a run for the postseason. But, the timing of the trade, right when All-Star voting was getting intense, has posed a quick challenge to Devers’ personal achievements.
Red Sox Exit Costs Rafael Devers a Guaranteed All-Star Game Starting Position
While Devers was leading the American League designated hitter voting with 796,382 votes during his time with the Red Sox, he now finds himself in a distant second place in the National League due to a midseason trade.
Rafael Devers would have run away with the DH vote in the AL but there’s no chance he starts the All-Star Game now that he’s in the same league as Ohtani.
Will Raffy even make the team? NL is loaded with position players. https://t.co/Fq4jlDxffg
— Sean Penney (@spenney83) June 16, 2025
This shift has pitted him against Shohei Ohtani, who leads the National League designated hitter voting category with an excellence of 1,398,771 votes as according to the latest table of MLB Voting that was released post first round of voting.
Prior to the trade, Devers was the clear frontrunner in the American League designated hitter voting, boasting an impressive 796,382 votes that overshadowed his rivals.
As Tim Healey of The Boston Globe highlighted via Patrick Andres of SI.com, those votes followed Devers to the National League, where he now finds himself trailing Ohtani by over 600,000 votes.
“Devers’ nearly 800,000 All-Star votes will now be transferred from the American League to the National League,” Healey stated, describing the scenario as forcing Devers to “change horses in mid-All-Star race.”
Devers knows a thing or two about All-Star selections, having been picked in 2021, 2022, and 2024. In his limited appearances at the All-Star Game, he’s gone 1-for-2 with a double and a walk.
As noted by Danielle Allentuck of The Baltimore Banner, if he had stayed with the Red Sox, his 796,382 votes would have almost guaranteed him a starting role in the American League lineup.
Currently, he’s up against a tough challenge in the National League, where Ohtani’s fame and skills make him a strong rival.
Since the voting is reset during Phase 2, there is a slight glimmer of hope, although Devers still will need to muster much of the fan votes, including Giants fans, to overtake Ohtani. His talent is clear as day, but this unexpected setback has shifted what once seemed like a sure thing into a challenging situation.
Read Also: Red Sox’s Quiet Misstep? Insider Points to Secretive Act as Beginning of Rafael Devers Rift
In regards to the Devers trade, Boston team officials in Boston, including CEO Sam Kennedy and Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow, characterized the move as that of “misalignment” concerning Devers’s position.
He did not agree on switching to designated hitter from third base when the team signed free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman. Devers also turned down moving to first base when Triston Casas got injured, which brought friction to the organization.