Last week, the Red Sox shocked the baseball world by sending three-time all-star Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in a blockbuster trade.
The trade came just hours after the Red Sox swept the Yankees with a 2-0 victory, a game in which Devers homered.
All seemed well in Red Sox land, as they had pushed themselves over .500 and looked to be on track to finally fulfill their pre-season potential.
So, what happened, and is there a bet to be made going forward based on this deal?
Let’s take a look.
Well, Devers’ unhappiness has been well-documented, dating back to Spring Training when there was much discussion about what position Devers would (and wouldn’t) play, since free-agent acquisition Alex Bregman plays third base, the same position as Devers.
An unhappy player with a lofty contract was enough reason for the Red Sox to unload the lefty slugger. Still, the seemingly modest package of pitchers Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks, as well as a couple of prospects headed to Boston, is what made this deal such a head-scratcher. The Red Sox trio of elite prospects, Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell, now have one less roadblock in their daily playing path. That is another benefit to what is still, despite the explanation, a baffling move and an underwhelming return for a Red Sox team that has also dealt Mookie Betts and Chris Sale in recent years, with very little to show for it.
As far as the Giants, they receive a desperately needed left-handed presence in their lineup. They now have a boosted offense that can support a dominant 1-2 punch in their starting rotation, with pitchers Logan Webb and Robbie Ray. They now sit with World Series odds in the 34-1 range for those that think they can win it all, and have 18-1 odds to reach the World Series.
But the market that interests me is the NL West, as the Giants now have 19-1 odds to win the division at FanDuel Sportsbook. Yes, they would have to topple the behemoth that is the Los Angeles Dodgers. But with the Dodgers’ inability to keep pitchers healthy (Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Roki Sasaki are just some of their pitchers on the injured list, with no timetable to return), the defending champs are vulnerable. Yes, they are still the best team and the rightful favorite, but they’re not the invincible juggernaut they looked like heading into the season.
At 19-1 odds, with a newly acquired Devers, and perhaps more moves up their sleeves, the Giants have the ability to compete with the mighty Dodgers and possibly erase the modest four-game deficit. Of all the numbers available, Fanduel’s 19-1 odds to win the NL West is the most attractive, especially considering this number is in the 8-1 range at most other books.
Taking a shot on the Giants to beat out the Dodgers in the NL West, as they did in 2021, will make for an exciting summer wager.
PICK: Giants (+1900) to win NL West
Will Hill, a contributor on the Bears Bets Podcast, has been betting on sports for over a decade. He is a betting analyst who has been a host on VSiN, as well as the Goldboys Network.
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