MLB has seen its share of messy goodbyes, and an awkward end to Boston Red Sox icon Rafael Devers’ time at Fenway Park might rank among the most disrespectful. In what was one of the most shocking trades in MLB history, Devers was traded to the San Francisco Giants, a move that may have blindsided the star.
It was a Sunday night that Boston will not forget.
One moment, the Red Sox were celebrating a sweep of the New York Yankees; the next, Devers was stranded alone at the airport, left behind as the team’s chartered flight departed for Seattle – before being sent back to Fenway in an Uber to collect his belongings.
Details on Rafael Devers’ Stunning Trade From Boston Red Sox to San Francisco Giants
Devers’ time with the Red Sox spanned nine seasons and over 1,000 games, during which he won the 2018 World Series before signing the largest contract in the franchise’s history. But when it came to parting ways, the farewell was anything but fitting for a club icon — unceremonious at best and humiliating at worst.
The MLB world was caught by surprise on Sunday night in a stunning trade as reported by The Athletic, which saw the Red Sox send their star slugger from Boston to the West Coast in a blockbuster deal. In exchange, they received right-hander Jordan Hicks, left-hander Kyle Harrison and two prospects — James Tibbs III and Jose Bello — from the Giants.
The move ends a memorable chapter in Boston’s history. With Devers’ departure, no player remains from Red Sox’s 2018 World Series Championship team.
WATCH: Rafael Devers’ Time With Red Sox Comes to Bizarre End
If the trade itself wasn’t shocking enough for MLB fans, the way it unfolded after that was almost surreal to watch. Just before the team’s charter flight was set to take off for Seattle, Devers was notified of the move.
A few hours earlier, he homered in the Red Sox’s 2-0 win over the Yankees.
In what would be one of his final interactions as a Red Sox player, Devers spoke to reporters postgame, praising the youngsters in the team, saying they were “playing good baseball and even more when the young kids are here, they’re learning how to play winning baseball and that’s very good for us.”
Here is the video of Devers’ return to Fenway, which was captured by WCVB TV photographer Ted Cooper and leaving the cab after he was removed from the charter flight following the confirmation of his trade.
Rafi Devers taken off @RedSox charter flight to Seattle and returning to Fenway in a cab after being traded to the Giants #wcvb #Onlyon5 pic.twitter.com/TkfybtUKgb
— Duke Castiglione (@DukeCastiglione) June 16, 2025
When asked about the tension between him and the front office in the months leading up to the day, Devers gave an almost stoic reply. “That’s in the past,” he said, not knowing that in a few hours, his time in Boston would be “in the past,” too.
MORE: Insider Reveals How Feeling ‘Unappreciated’ Pushed Rafael Devers To Request a Red Sox Exit
And that’s how the chaos unfolded. He had to take an Uber back to Fenway Park while his Red Sox teammates left for Seattle. A viral post on X summed up the chaos that unfolded.
Perhaps the writing was on the wall when Boston signed third baseman Alex Bregman, or when Devers refused to play first base. Whatever the reason, pulling the plug on one of the franchise’s most iconic players won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
Good riddance