It’s been a long time since the San Francisco Giants had a 30 home-run hitter. With the trade for Rafael Devers for a box of baseball and some spare ice machine parts, the team hopes it has a guy to bolster what has been an over-performing lineup. And it only cost them $290 million or thereabouts.

This “steal” of a trade does several things. It gives the Giants  credibility and free agents the idea that this might be a place to go. The Polo Grounds dimensions of right centerfield haven’t helped lure left-handed power bats to the Bay Area since San Francisco kicked Barry Bonds out the back door in 2007. He hit 30 in 2004. (The Giants then held their collective noses as Bonds hit .276 and 28 home runs the year after Bonds’ personal trainer, Greg Anderson served three months in prison for refusing to testify in a grand jury proceeding. Any other player wouldn’t have been allowed in the dugout. But no other player was 11 home runs away from breaking Hank Aaron’s career mark and no other player had Willie Mays as a godfather.  It’s telling the team didn’t offer him a contract after he led the league in on-base percentage. )

Regardless, Devers comes to San Francisco, much like Bonds did after seven seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Both had public spats with their owners Devers arrives in San Francisco with 215 home runs and 695 runs batted in during his eight seasons and change in Boston. Bonds had 176 homers and 556 RBIs when he arrived in San Francisco in 1993.

Who does Boston get? Kyle Harrison has 18 career decisions and a 4.48 earned run average. Jordan Hicks has a 4.23 ERA in his five seasons and is on the injured list. James Tibbs and Jose Bello are two prospects. Tibbs is 22 and has power.  Bello has a 2.97 ERA in his brief minor league career. 

This could be a great deal for both if Devers does what he is asked to do and doesn’t squawk about it like he did in Boston. But Tibbs and Bello are going to have to turn into something fast if Boston fans are going to continue to support this regime. Or, Boston will have to spend that $28 million a year on real talent at the trade deadline. This is the same team that got rid of All-Star Mookie Betts after just six years. Betts has gone on to play just as well in Los Angeles while winning two World Series in his six years out west.

Odds are good Devers will soon discover that some balls he hit off of the Green Monster in Fenway Park will now be fly ball outs to the opposing left fielder in just about any park he plays. But Devers also has great opposite field power, so it’s very possible there could be more Devers dingers to left than there will be splash hits in McCovey Cove. With Matt Chapman out on the injured list, Devers may play some third, but odds are good he will be at first base and filling the designated hitter role. He now knows it’s management’s way or the highway which should make things tranquil in California.

Wherever he plays, he can only help a Giants offense that is 24th in the majors for average and 20th in home runs. What’s impressive is that Bob Melvin’s team is only two games behind the Dodgers in the National League West, who lead the majors in both categories.

The Giants are where they are because of a pitching staff that is third-lowest in ERA. Now they have some pop to take some of the pressure off of that staff. With the Dodgers struggling to keep starting pitchers healthy, the Devers trade -orchestrated by new San Francisco general manager Buster Posey- just made the National League a lot more interesting.