Farhan Zaidi, begrudgingly, watched his former and current teams battle it out in a three-game series between the Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend at Dodger Stadium.
San Francisco’s former president of baseball operations, who was fired shortly after the 2024 MLB season, now is an advisor with Los Angeles, where he was the general manager from 2015-2018 before joining the Giants.
With the Giants and Dodgers squaring off for the first time this season, Zaidi spoke exclusively to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser for a Q&A about his time with San Francisco, his current role with Los Angeles and his candid thoughts about watching the Giants this season both up close and from afar.
“It is strange,” Zaidi told Slusser when asked if the weekend series is strange for him. “If I had my choice, I would just disappear or go to like a Caribbean island for three days and then come back once it’s over. It’s strange. It’s uncomfortable. Because, as I said, I do want to see the Giants do well. I do work for the Dodgers, so obviously I want the Dodgers to do well. I kind of just want this series to be over, and I want both teams to go on and be playing other teams.”
Zaid constructed the majority of the Giants’ roster that has exceeded expectations so far this season, and while he is pleased to see his former organization’s success in 2025, he does not take any solace in San Francisco’s winning ways.
“I don’t really take any responsibility or satisfaction from the fact that the team’s doing well,” Zaidi shared with Slusser. “I am very happy for the people who I had relationships who are still there because I understand the grind of the day-to-day season, and I know how much it sucks when you’re not playing well, and I know how much better it is when you are playing well.
“I know how hard those guys have worked to get the team to this point. I’m just happy for the players and the people in the organization who I know. Success is the goal and that is really validating, so I’m happy for them.”
This weekend’s Giants-Dodgers series might have been the first for Zaidi this season, but it certainly won’t be the last.
When the Orange and Black return to Dodger Stadium for what could be a pivotal four-game series on Sept. 18, Zaidi might want to plan a vacation.
It's Monday, June 16 and the Rockies (14-57) are in Washington to take on the Nationals (30-41). Carson Palmquist is slated to take the mound for Colorado against Jake Irvin for Washington.
The Nationals have lost eight consecutive games and are coming off being swept in a three-game series to the Marlins and Mets over the past seven days.
For Colorado, the Rockies are coming off a 10-1 win over the Braves that snapped a two-game losing streak. The Rockies are 2-7 in the past nine games and have gone 0-5 when Palmquist pitches this season.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Rockies at Nationals
Date: Monday, June 16, 2025
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Nationals Park
City: Washington, DC
Network/Streaming: COLR, MASN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Rockies at the Nationals
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Rockies (+168), Nationals (-204)
Spread: Nationals -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Nationals
Pitching matchup for June 16, 2025: Carson Palmquist vs. Jake Irvin
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rockies and the Nationals
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Rockies and the Nationals:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Washington Nationals on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Colorado Rockies at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies at Nationals
The Nationals have won 6 of their last 8 home games against the Rockies
9 of the Nationals' last 11 games (82%) have stayed under the Total
The Nationals have failed to cover the Run Line in 6 of their last 8 games
Washington is 7-7 on the ML when Jake Irvin pitches this season
Colorado is 0-5 this season when Carson Palmquist pitches
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
Red Sox legend David Ortiz wants young stars to use Boston’s shocking trade of left-handed slugger Rafael Devers to the Giants as a lesson. In a conversation with baseball content creator Yancen Pujols on Monday, “Big Papi” detailed why he believes there is much to learn from the 28-year-old’s fallout in Boston.
“Players need to take this as an example, nobody is indispensable … You need to be smart and understand the situation. Your worst enemy is your ego,” Ortiz said.
David Ortiz says Rafael Devers' ego was what ruined his relationship with the Red Sox pic.twitter.com/L0DRQHLOt6
Ortiz’s comments were directed toward Devers’ unhappiness with his role in Boston and how, despite the three-time MLB All-Star playing under the 10-year, $313.5 million contract he signed with the Red Sox in 2023, no one player is above a franchise.
After playing third base for the first eight years of his MLB career, Devers was moved to designated hitter this season to make way for Alex Bregman, whom the Red Sox signed to a three-year, $120 million free-agent contract this past offseason. Then, after Triston Casas suffered a ruptured left patellar tendon in early May, Boston asked Devers to step in at first base, which he never did.
Devers simply was turned off by the Red Sox wanting him to change positions multiple times. That fact left Ortiz wanting MLB’s up-and-comers to know that, even if you are a stud like Devers, you’re still just a part of a team – and movable.
“The organization is always going to be there,” Ortiz reiterated in an interview with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal published on Monday. “Players come and go. As a player, sometimes you’ve got to put your ego aside and understand that once you get paid, you’ve got to find a way to do what you’re told.
“That’s a message for all young players who think they turn out to be bigger than the game. I’m not saying that Devers was like that. He’s humble. He’s a good kid. But sometimes when you’re young and immature, you (don’t realize that).”
It is unknown if Devers would still be with the Red Sox had they not signed Bregman or had Casas not gotten injured. But the what-ifs don’t matter now, as Devers is San Francisco-bound and expected to work with manager Bob Melvin and president of baseball operations Buster Posey on figuring out his new role(s).
Devers exits Boston for San Francisco after posting a .905 OPS over 73 games as a full-time DH during the 2025 MLB season. Through the national noise and Ortiz’s comments, it’s clear most believe the Giants landed a potential National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, and that the Red Sox are in the dumps.
It's Monday, June 16 and the Phillies (42-29) are in Miami to take on the Marlins (28-41). Mick Abel is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Sandy Alcantara for Miami.
Miami is coming off its first sweep of the season, taking the series from Washington in a variety of ways (11-9, 4-3, 3-1). This is the second three-game winning streak of the season for the Marlins and they've yet to win four consecutive.
Philadelphia has won four straight games and five of the past six as they prepare for this four-game home stand. The Phillies swept the Blue Jays after taking two of the three versus the Cubs.
Miami is 5-8 overall this season with Alcantra pitching, but they have won two of the past three, while Abel and the Phillies have dropped the past two with him on the mound.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Phillies at Marlins
Date: Monday, June 16, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: LoanDepot Park
City: Miami, FL
Network/Streaming: NBCSP, FDSNFL
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Phillies at the Marlins
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Phillies (-130), Marlins (+110)
Spread: Phillies -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Marlins
Pitching matchup for June 16, 2025: Mick Abel vs. Sandy Alcantara
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Phillies and the Marlins
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Phillies and the Marlins:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia Phillies on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Miami Marlins at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Phillies at Marlins
The Phillies have won 4 straight, while the Marlins are on a 4-game losing run at home
The Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara has an ERA of 7.14 and a WHIP of 1.46 when starting this season
The Marlins have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 1.19 units
The Marlins are 5-8 on the ML when Sandy Alcantara pitches this season
The Phillies have lost their last two with Mick Abel pitching this season (1-2 overall)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
The Colorado Avalanche already have two represented players in next year's Winter Olympic Games in Milan, Italy.
The IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation began announcing preliminary rosters (six players) for the 12 qualified countries participating in next year's Winter Games on Monday morning. At the time of this article's publication, Team Canada's first six have not yet been announced.
Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog has made the preliminary roster for Team Sweden.
Landeskog made his professional return to the NHL on April 23rd after over 1,000 days of rehabilitation of a knee injury suffered in the team's 2022 Stanley Cup run.
In five games played in this most recent postseason, the Stockholm, Sweden native posted 4 points (1 goal/3 assists).
Martin Necas, traded to the Avalanche this past January, has been named one of the first six players to Team Czechia's ice hockey roster.
Necas posted a career high in points this past season between his time with the Carolina Hurricanes and the Avalanche, tallying 83 points (27 goals/56 assists) in 79 GP.
Bookmark THN's Colorado Avalanche site so you never miss the latest news surrounding the burgundy and blue!
Make sure you also bookmark The Hockey News to keep up on all things hockey, from NHL to AHL to PWHL and so much more!
Follow Bailey Curtis on X and stay up to date on live news stories following all things Colorado hockey!
A scouting report on NBA draft prospect Khaman Maluach:
Position: Center
Height: 7-0.75(without shoes)
Weight: 253 pounds
College: Duke
Strengths
Maluach’s size is an obvious place to start; he’s a bona fide big man whose 7-6.75 wingspan was the highest at the draft combine.
His youth and potential to make major progress are worth highlighting, too. Maluach began playing basketball in 2019 and represented South Sudan at the Paris Olympics as a 17-year-old. He’ll be 18 on draft night.
While Maluach wasn’t a Donovan Clingan-esque shot blocker in his one year at Duke, he did record 2.5 rejections per 40 minutes and has talent in the rim protection department outside of raw size. Maluach understands the importance of verticality and knows he can help his team through deterring and disrupting drivers.
In the NBA, Maluach looks like he should be able to do more than simply patrol the paint. He slides his feet quite well for someone over 7 feet and isn’t in an automatically hopeless position if he’s switched onto a perimeter player.
Offensively, Maluach largely sticks to his strengths. He’s a serious pick-and-roll lob threat, a skill that shined with Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel. And Maluach’s relative lack of basketball experience doesn’t show in his non-dunk finishing. He shot 80.6 percent at the rim, per The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie.
At the foul line, Maluach finished the season with a 76.6 percent mark. He was mainly an interior player and went just 4 for 16 from three-point range, but his touch and that foul shooting success is encouraging.
Weaknesses
Maluach’s freshman year production was not that of a player guaranteed to become a star. Over 21.9 minutes per game, he averaged 8.6 points and 6.6 rebounds. Maluach did very little as a passer, totaling 20 assists and 30 turnovers across Duke’s 39 games.
Maluach had zero rebounds in 21 minutes during the Blue Devils’ national championship game loss to Houston. Defensive rebounding stands out as a weaker area of his game. One reason is he doesn’t possess great lower-body strength or bounce.
Maluach ranked near the bottom in most of the combine’s athletic testing, including standing vertical leap (24 inches). That’s fine for a player of Maluach’s size, but it does seem that he has considerable room to improve at carving out position inside and snagging contested boards.
Self-awareness is a valuable trait in the NBA. With that said, there’s valid big-picture questions about how limited Maluach will be as a professional. Will he one day be able to score regularly in ways outside of lobs and put-backs? Will he be solid in multiple pick-and-roll coverages (drop, switch, at the level) and capable of playing high-quality playoff minutes?
Fit
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey’s stated philosophy is to take the best player he can. Of course, Joel Embiid’s presence on the Sixers wouldn’t be irrelevant at all if the team wound up selecting Maluach, whether that’s as a surprise pick at No. 3 or later in the draft following a trade down.
If Embiid returns to good health and still has elite prime years ahead of him, there wouldn’t be many minutes available for a player like Maluach. However, with the 31-year-old Embiid’s persistent left knee problems, that world doesn’t appear to be a certainty.
Morey drafted a center in 2024 with the 41st overall pick and Adem Bona had a very positive home stretch of the season, starting the Sixers’ final nine games and posting 15.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per contest. Other second-round center selections during Morey’s tenure include Paul Reed (58th overall in 2020), Filip Petrusev (50th overall in 2021) and Charles Bassey (53rd overall in 2021).
Buster Posey is no stranger to baseball-related anxiety.
The three-time World Series champion, seven-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger and 2012 National League MVP has experienced the biggest moments the game has to offer on the field. Off the field, however, as San Francisco’s new president of baseball operations, there only are so many moments where he might feel those familiar butterflies.
“I was telling [my wife] Kristen yesterday morning as it felt like this was coming together, I kind of have some of the same anxiousness and anxiety that I had before every single game. It was a fun feeling, it was exciting,” Posey said.
The potential franchise-altering move, while a collaborative effort between Posey, general manager Zack Minasian and their team, ultimately rested on the shoulders of just one person: Posey.
“A decision like this is not made solely by myself, there’s a lot of input from our team, whether it’s Zack or Jeremy [Shelley] or our advisors,” Posey shared. “Ultimately, I had to be the one to pull the trigger on this, but felt like as a group we came to that decision together.”
Posey made the final decision for the Giants and hopped on a one-on-one call with Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to push the deal across the finish line.
“It was me and Breslow,” Posey revealed. “Breslow and I were kind of going back and forth to try and hash out the details, but ultimately it was myself and Breslow.”
The trade not only went through right before the Giants’ series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers, which led to some chaos on the field and in the clubhouse, but also on Father’s Day, where Posey was celebrating with his family while simultaneously pulling off one of the biggest trades in franchise history.
“It was a Father’s Day to remember, for sure,” Posey added. “I was on the phone and the little girls were running around doing their thing and the older kids were doing their thing, so it was a balancing act.”
Its Monday, June 16 and the Angels (33-37) are in the Bronx to open a series against the Yankees (42-28).
José Soriano is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Clarke Schmidt for New York.
Both of these teams limp into the series having been swept over the weekend. The Yankees last three straight in Boston to the Sox while the Angels lost all three in a series against the Orioles in Baltimore. As a result, New York's lead in the American League East is down to 3.5 games over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Halos are 7.5 games back of the Astros in the American League West.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Angels at Yankees
Date: Monday, June 16, 2025
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: Bronx, NY
Network/Streaming: FDSNW, YES, MLBN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Angels at the Yankees
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Angels (+170), Yankees (-207)
Spread: Yankees -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Angels at Yankees
Pitching matchup for June 16, 2025: José Soriano vs. Clarke Schmidt
Angels: José Soriano (4-5, 3.86 ERA) Last outing: 6/10 vs. Athletics - 7IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 12Ks
Yankees: Clarke Schmidt (3-3, 3.60 ERA) Last outing: 6/11 at Kansas City - 6IP, 0ER, 2H, 3BB, 7Ks
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Angels at Yankees
The Yankees have won 14 of their last 20 home games against teams with losing records
The Angels' last 3 games against the Yankees have stayed under the Total
Aaron Judge is 1-13 over his last 4 games and is hitting .283 in June
Paul Goldschmidt was 2-8 in the series against Boston over the weekend and is hitting just .191 for the month of June
Mike Trout was 2-11 in the series at Baltimore over the weekend and is hitting .273 in June
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Angels and the Yankees
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Angels and the Yankees:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Yankees at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
OKLAHOMA CITY — In the wake of Indiana’s come-from-ahead Game 4 loss, Pacers fans were frustrated. Very frustrated. One gentleman approached me while I was still sitting in a media area, and asked if I was writing about the game, and if so did I know how few times Tyrese Haliburton had been to the free throw line (once). My response that "Tyrese doesn't really drive like that" — meaning he doesn't drive with force seeking contact like Giannis Antetokounmpo or even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Haliburton is more finesse — wasn't the answer he wanted to hear. Nor was my comment that it was called both ways, that the Pacers took just five fewer free throws than the Thunder.
That gentleman's frustration echoed throughout Indianapolis and beyond after the game — Bill Simmons blasted the officiating on his podcast — with much of the ire focused on lead official Scott Foster, who has long been a lightning rod among fans.
Before Game 5, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle stuck up for Foster.
"I think it's awful some of the things I've seen about the officiating, and Scott Foster in particular," Carlisle said. "I've known Scott Foster for 30 years. He is a great official. He has done a great job in these playoffs. We've had him a lot of times. The ridiculous scrutiny that is being thrown out there is terrible and unfair and unjust and stupid."
Carlise did not want to get into specifics on what he was responding to. Foster is one of the highest-rated officials, according to the NBA's metrics. He's seen as fair and consistent, which is why he has worked 26 NBA Finals games across 18 seasons. After Game 4, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault acknowledged that there were a lot of whistles, but he thought the officiating was fair.
"There were a crap ton of fouls. That's why there were a crap ton of free throws," Daigneault said. "I thought the refs did a good job tonight. Both teams shot a lot of free throws. It was physical. That was what the game was. It was a physical game on both ends of the floor for both teams."
One play that Pacers fans focused on was Gilgeous-Alexander's baseline step back jumper to take the lead with 2:23 remaining in the fourth — they wanted him called for using the off arm or a travel.
Should this have been an offensive foul or travel by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?? pic.twitter.com/TzOYkn8cY9
First, that's not a travel under the NBA's definition, while SGA stumbles, it's a gather and two steps. Second, there is a case that Gilgeous-Alexander could be called for pushing off, although Nesmith sells the contact. That's not the way the officials had called it all game, but the case can be made that they should have called it there. Pacers fans may want to be careful about asking for more calls with off arms because that would fall both ways and Pascal Siakam, among others in Indiana, would rack up more fouls.
Whatever happens in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, and going forward, the officiating will be scrutinized. Just don't expect it to be what decides the game.
The Boston Red Sox moved on from another face-of-the-franchise player Sunday when they traded designated hitter Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in a shocking move.
Just hours after sweeping the rival New York Yankees and building some real, positive momentum for the first time all season, the Red Sox dealt Devers for a package that included left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison, right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks, minor league outfielder James Tibbs III and minor league right-handed pitcher Jose Bello.
The return was underwhelming, to put it mildly. None of these players or prospects have star potential, although Tibbs could develop into a useful player. He was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.
One of the most significant aspects of the trade for the Red Sox was they managed to offload all of the $254 million remaining on Devers’ 10-year, $313 million contract.
The SF #Giants will assume all of Rafael Devers remaining contract:
As a result, the Red Sox could have a lot of money to spend in the offseason in the free agent and/or trade markets. And in addition to getting rid of Devers’ contract, the Red Sox also have the salaries of Walker Buehler ($21 million) and Lucas Giolito ($19 million), among others, coming off the books following the 2025 season.
While the Devers trade itself looks like a huge blunder based on the return, this deal ultimately will be judged by how the Red Sox are able to upgrade their roster with the money they saved by moving him.
So, which players could potentially be available for the Red Sox to spend their money on this winter?
Here’s a list of notable players who are able to become unrestricted free agents after the 2025 season. It should be noted that some of them could remain with their current teams.
Kyle Tucker, RF, Cubs
Tucker likely will be the best position player available, assuming he reaches the open market. The Cubs traded for him last offseason, and he’s one of the primary reasons why they lead the National League Central Division right now.
He is batting .277 with 13 home runs, 43 RBI, a .389 on-base percentage and a .893 OPS. Tucker also won the 2022 World Series with the Houston Astros. The 28-year-old veteran would be very expensive to sign, and the Red Sox don’t have a huge need in the outfield. But if the Red Sox want a proven bat for their lineup, Tucker is worth pursuing.
The Red Sox have a massive need for a first baseman, the position where Alonso has made a huge impact on the Mets for many years. He’s also having a tremendous season, hitting .293 with 17 home runs and a league-leading 63 RBI. His .960 OPS ranks fifth among all players. Alonso will be 31 in December, and he might need to switch to DH at some point, but his ability to play first base and be very productive at the plate would make him an interesting target for Boston.
Another option at first base for the Red Sox could be Naylor, who set career highs with 31 home runs and 108 RBI for the Cleveland Guardians last season. He is hitting .300 with nine homers, 48 RBI and an .827 OPS in 69 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2025. Naylor isn’t an amazing defensive player at first base, but he would add some reliable offensive production to Boston’s lineup.
Dylan Cease, SP, Padres
The Red Sox need another ace to join Garrett Crochet atop the rotation, and Cease could be one of the top pitchers available in the offseason. He is the only pitcher who has struck out 200-plus batters in each of the last four seasons, and with 96 strikeouts in 14 games this year, he’s on pace to hit that mark again.
His 2025 season — 2-5, 4.28 ERA, 1.30 WHIP — has been disappointing so far. But in his last start on June 11, Cease pitched seven innings and gave up just three hits and zero runs, while striking out 11 in a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cease would be a huge addition to the Red Sox rotation, but would their front office splurge for a starter who will be 30 years old on Opening Day 2026?
Zac Gallen, SP, Diamondbacks
Gallen is not having a great 2025 campaign so far. He is 4-8 with a 5.19 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP and 0.4 WAR. However, he has been a very good pitcher for the Diamondbacks over the last four seasons, including two top-five finishes in NL Cy Young Award voting in 2022 and 2023.
Framber Valdez, SP, Astros
Valdez will be 32 years old at the start of next season, so he might not be the best long-term fit for the Red Sox, but he is a very talented and reliable starter. He has started at least 28 games for the Astros in each of the last three years. He’s having a good 2025 season, too, posting a 7-4 record with a 3.10 ERA, 96 strikeouts and a 1.09 WHIP in 14 appearances so far.
And if the Red Sox get back to the postseason in the short term, Valdez would be a nice pitcher to have in that kind of atmosphere given his previous experience and success in big games. He pitched fantastic during the Astros’ run to a 2022 World Series title.
The Giants’ trade with the Boston Red Sox for three-time MLB All-Star Rafael Devers left the baseball world stunned ever since news broke minutes before San Francisco’s series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.
Considering how unexpected the move for the 28-year-old was – especially its unusual timing – many fans even initially doubted the deal was real, much like NBA fans did when news broke of the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers swapping Luka Dončić and Anthony Davis in early February.
A TikTok posted by user @eileenflynn11 captured the immediate reactions of what appeared to be a crowd of Red Sox fans who truly didn’t believe Boston was sending Devers to San Francisco, especially after he helped his old club sweep the New York Yankees.
Most people laughed and mocked the original poster for throwing out what appeared to be an outlandish, April Fools-esque joke. But they soon realized she wasn’t kidding and that Devers was bound for the Bay.
Indeed, it was a “tough day for Boston Dads,” as the post’s caption read.
Another TikTok, posted by user @patsatonafatcat, captured what probably was an even worse moment – a Red Sox fan being gifted a shirt with Devers’ last name and number on it minutes after the trade broke the internet.
Keep the tags on that one.
While Boston fans were heartbroken and clearly in disbelief, San Francisco fans couldn’t be more excited.
The Giants are getting one of the best bats in baseball, and if things go well over the eight years remaining on the 10-year contract Devers signed with the Red Sox in 2023, there’s a real chance the left-handed slugger could be remembered as a West Coast superstar despite being part of Boston’s organization since he was a 16-year-old prospect.
And that’s considering that back in 2020, Betts, who was crowned 2018 World Series Champion along with Devers, was traded by the Red Sox to the Dodgers along with a slew of players.
“I just thought it was crazy,” said Betts of Devers’ trade to the Giants (h/t The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya). “Nothing really to say, it’s just crazy.”
The 28-year-old slugger joins the Giants in exchange for pitchers Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison and prospects James Tibbs III and Jose Bello.
The three-time MLB All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger is estimated to make roughly $250 million over the next eight-plus seasons, likely securing his long-term future in the Bay Area.
Surely, Devers will look to follow Betts’ lead in winning two more World Series with his new team.
Ironically, Betts is now Devers’ top rival to beat.
LOS ANGELES — A couple of weeks ago, the Giants had one of the worst first base situations in baseball. They woke up Monday morning with a different dilemma: Will they now be able to find enough at-bats for Wilmer Flores, the team RBI leader, and Dominic Smith, who has hit the ground running in orange and black?
President of baseball operations Buster Posey and manager Bob Melvin said late Sunday night that they want to talk to Devers before deciding where he will play, but it seems likely he’ll be the everyday DH once all the dust settles and everyone gets healthy.
That would mean more starts at first base for Flores, and possibly a platoon there with Smith. If either loses significant time — and it should be noted that the sample size with Smith is extremely small — that will only strengthen what has been a weak bench.
There’s a lot to sort out, but on Sunday night, Smith was all smiles. After the game at Dodger Stadium, he said Devers, his teammate in 2024, will be a perfect fit with this group.
“The thing that I admire is he wanted to play every day. The stuff behind the scenes — he’s a grinder, he doesn’t want a day off, he wants to play against the elite pitching and he wants to be in the big moments and he wants to win,” Smith said. “I know this is a crazy last few hours, but we’ve got a really, really, really talented ballplayer. Young, right in his prime, I can’t wait to see how many balls he hits in the cove.”
Smith has the most experience with Devers, but a lot has changed since they were teammates. Last year, Devers was in the first season of a 10-year contract extension that promised to make him the face of the franchise in Boston. But in the offseason, the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman, kicking off what turned into months of drama. Devers wasn’t thrilled, and he didn’t want to move to first base in-season when Triston Casas went down with a season-ending knee injury.
Smith said his own experience with Devers was all positive, noting repeatedly that Devers just wants to play every day.
“He’s going to come in and play hard and show the fans what type of player he is,” Smith said. “I can’t wait to see him do his thing.”
The most excited player in the Giants’ clubhouse might have been another infielder. Willy Adames has been friends with Devers for about a decade, and they exchanged texts after the deal became official. Adames was so fired up that he forgot to stretch before the finale against the Dodgers.
“You see the numbers every year that he always puts up in Boston,” Adames said. “We need someone like that … when we get Chappy back, it’s going to be a problem for pitchers.”
Devers has a .905 OPS and 15 homers, and he’s 15th among big leaguers with a wRC+ of 148. By that last metric, the Giants — yes, the San Francisco Giants — will soon have three of the top 32 hitters in baseball in their lineup. Chapman, who is out another three or four weeks, ranks 30th and Heliot Ramos is 32nd.
The addition should be a game-changing one for the lineup, and it stunned the rest of the industry. Devers, 28, is not the type of player who ever gets traded in June, but the back-and-forth about his position led to a falling out in Boston. Management there apparently had seen and heard enough and was eager to move on, but Posey said Sunday that he did his due diligence and came away convinced that there was simply miscommunication in Boston, and that Devers will be a positive addition to the clubhouse.
Adames gave a full endorsement Sunday night, and he said he texted Devers that everyone in the clubhouse was excited to play with him. Devers responded that he was fired up about the trade.
“He’s great, he’s great. He’s a great guy,” Adames said. “Obviously, there has been some miscommunication there. I think that from what I know from him, I know he likes to know things. He wants people to communicate to him and be honest, you know? I feel like here with Buster, that’s all we’ve got.
“Buster is a super honest guy, he’s going to be straight up (and Devers) is going to love that. He’s going to feel comfortable here. I know that for a fact.”
