Rafael Devers' diminishing bat speed slowing down Giants' big post-trade plans
In less than a year with the San Francisco Giants, Devers has yet to justify the significant financial commitment the team is paying for the veteran.
Rafael Devers' diminishing bat speed slowing down Giants' big post-trade plans originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The San Francisco Giants had major aspirations.
Believing Rafael Devers would thrive on another team, refreshed from a new MLB start, the Giants engineered a blockbuster trade last June 15, trusting they acquired one of the game's most consistent hitters in his prime. Twenty-three games into 2026, however, the Giants' plans have slowed, if not completely altered, after Devers posted a minus-0. 8 WAR rating , the league's second-worst mark, through 132 plate appearances.
Devers' frustrations were mounting, evident when he broke his bat in half during an 8-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on April 15. The front office's concerns, likewise, continue to grow. Devers, 29, is owed an average of more than $31 million per season through 2033 .
Devers' bat speed is creating internal anxiety. Four seasons ago, as a member of the Boston Red Sox , his average bat speed registered at 73. 4 mph .