While the situation between Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox doesn’t directly involve the Seattle Mariners, it’s understandable to wonder if that could change—especially if the three-time All-Star ends up requesting a trade.
To recap, tension between Devers and the Red Sox dates back to spring training, when Devers pushed to remain at third base despite the team signing Alex Bregman. The Red Sox stood firm on that decision, but Devers strongly opposed shifting from designated hitter to first base after Triston Casas suffered a season-ending knee injury.
So far, things haven’t reached the point where Devers is seeking a trade, and Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that such a move likely wouldn’t be seriously considered until the offseason.
Still, rumors are swirling, and Fox Sports has already identified the Mariners as the top potential landing spot for Devers. It’s an intriguing possibility—but what would it actually take for Seattle and Boston to make a trade happen?
Getting Rafael Devers from the Red Sox to the Mariners would require a mix of both prospects and money
Let’s begin by acknowledging that, at least theoretically, the Mariners should have interest in acquiring Rafael Devers.
Despite a recent upswing in 2025, Seattle has historically struggled offensively. This is a team that, notably, has never reached the World Series—though their current competitive window is clearly open. They’ve posted at least 85 wins in each of the past four seasons and currently sit atop the AL West with a 22-17 record.
Devers, 28, has been a premier hitter in the American League for nearly a decade. After a slow start this year, he’s rebounded to post an .888 OPS with seven homers. He’s also performed particularly well at T-Mobile Park, with a career .938 OPS in Seattle.
The main obstacle in any deal for Devers is his contract. He’s only in the second year of a 10-year, $313.5 million deal, which carries an average annual value of around $29 million due to deferred payments stretching from 2034 to 2043.
Per FanGraphs, Seattle’s payroll is already $12 million higher than it was in 2024, and they’ve recently taken on more salary by claiming Leody Taveras. So any deal with Boston would likely need to be financially balanced—or at least close to it—in terms of AAV. At the same time, both teams would expect value in return, not just a salary dump or bad-contract exchange.
Here’s a trade proposal that Baseball Trade Values deems fair:
Mariners receive: DH Rafael Devers, RHP Richard Fitts, RHP Luis Perales, $48 million
Red Sox receive: RHP Luis Castillo, C Harry Ford, 1B Tyler Locklear
This deal resembles the 2021 Nolan Arenado trade, but with added complexity.
Luis Castillo is under a five-year, $108 million contract, with a $21.5 million annual salary—creating only about a $7.5 million AAV gap between him and Devers. The $48 million from Boston, plus a $2 million assignment bonus Seattle would owe Devers, mostly bridges that financial gap.
From Seattle’s perspective, Ford is blocked by Cal Raleigh, and Locklear doesn’t seem to be in their long-term plans at first base. But both could thrive in Boston, where there are long-term openings at catcher and first base.
Castillo may also be expendable, given the emergence of Emerson Hancock and the expected returns of Logan Gilbert and George Kirby. Boston, in contrast, badly needs rotation depth behind Garrett Crochet.
The two pitchers Seattle would receive—Perales and Fitts—aren’t big names but have upside. MLB Pipeline ranks them No. 4 and No. 14 in Boston’s system, respectively. Perales has a 70-grade fastball but is recovering from Tommy John surgery, and Fitts is working back from a pectoral strain—making them buy-low opportunities.
Of course, the headline piece here is Devers. While Jorge Polanco has been productive as the Mariners’ DH, he’s also played at second and third base this season. There’s even a chance he could shift to first, where Seattle could use an upgrade over the Tellez-Solano platoon.
All of this remains speculative. Unless Devers asks for a trade, it’s likely he and the Red Sox will attempt to reconcile.
Still, the idea of Rafael Devers in a Mariners uniform is worth dreaming about. Pairing him with Julio Rodríguez could make the prospect of a World Series trip feel more real than ever for Seattle.
Be the first to comment