Sunday evening, news broke that the Boston Red Sox were, seemingly out of nowhere, trading star player Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants.
It’s debatable whether the move is as seismic as February’s trade, which sent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis in a three-team deal. However, the shock of the news reminded many sports fans on social media of that night, when some wondered if ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania had been hacked.
While the three-time All-Star had reportedly been disgruntled with Red Sox brass (he signed a 10-year, $313.5 million contract before the 2024 season), there was no indication that the franchise might be shopping its 28-year-old star. When MLB insider Robert Murray broke the news of the trade a little before 7:00 p.m. ET, the ripple effects across social media were instantaneous.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan confirmed Murray’s report and added some context, but MLB fans and media didn’t need to know anything beyond the shocking news itself.
Specifically, many cited the way the news of this trade compared to the Dončić trade, which similarly came out of nowhere and appeared to be incredibly one-sided.
Even ESPN’s Karl Ravech noted the similarity during Sunday Night Baseball.
There are sure to be a lot of reports and rumors come Monday (the Red Sox have already started lobbing some P.R. grenades out there to defend the move).
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.