The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off one of the most shocking trades in sports history earlier this year, acquiring superstar guard Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks in February.
Fans were puzzled as Doncic, a rising star in the prime of his career, was traded for a return that many felt paled in. comparison to what he contributes as a player. A similar situation took place in Major League Baseball this weekend, as a top player is set to head across the country.
MLB insider Robert Murray reported that the Boston Red Sox were trading three-time All-Star Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants.
Devers was considered a franchise cornerstone for Boston and helped them win a World Series title, and many fans and journalists were puzzled by the choice to trade him.
"Remember when Luka Doncic got traded out of nowhere? The Red Sox trading Rafael Devers out of nowhere on a random day in June is the closest thing to the MLB version," said Padres radio broadcaster Sammy Levitt.
"Red Sox front office bother trying to get any real prospects and real return for Devers or nah?," asked writer Jason La Canfora.
The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham noted that the Red Sox felt Devers "did not live up to [the] responsibilities" the team had for him when he signed an 11-year contract for over $300 million in 2024.
The third baseman made the All-Star team three times while in Boston, mostly due to his ability as a hitter. He won the American League's Silver Slugger award twice in 2021 and 2023 as the best-hitting third baseman on the junior circuit.
Much like Doncic, however, Devers has been criticized for a lack of defensive ability.
He's led the American League in errors several times, both among third basemen and overall. A poor fielding percentage prompted the team to move him off third base by signing a fellow World Series champion in Alex Bregman.
Devers was unhappy with this move, and he was also upset after being asked to move to first base following Triston Casas' injury.
We'll see how the future plays out for both Devers and the Red Sox, but it's clear to see some of the parallels between this latest seismic baseball move and one of the biggest basketball trades of all time.
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This story was originally published June 16, 2025 at 7:19 AM.