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Giants Clearly Made Correct Choice Including Veteran in Blockbuster with Red Sox

Originally posted on San Francisco Giants on SI
By Michael Brauner | Last updated Sep 4, 2025 4:40 PM ET

The San Francisco Giants were at the center of the Major League Baseball universe over the summer when they pulled off a shocking trade with the Boston Red Sox for their disgruntled slugger Rafael Devers.

At the time of the deal, most considered the Giants to have gotten away with a steal by having sent away Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks and two prospects in exchange for one of the best hitters in the sport, albeit on a large contract. In the weeks following, San Francisco looked like they could have a case of buyer's remorse as the 28-year-old struggled in the transition.

Once the calendar turned to August however, Devers has been on an absolute tear, and though Boston has performed well since the trade as a team, the individual pieces of the return have not. Harrison has yet to make a start in the Major Leagues, and Hicks on the other hand has been absolutely dreadful.

The latest development from the former reliever turned starter and back to reliever is a trip to the injured list with a shoulder issue, an announcement that comes just a day after one of his worst outings of the season. Whether or not Hicks returns to the Red Sox staff this season remains to be seen, but it's safe to say the Giants made the right call in sending him away.

How Has Hicks Fared for Red Sox Before Injury?

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Hicks was returned to the bullpen by San Francisco after an ugly beginning to the season in the rotation and would end up sending him away after just four relief appearances, but things have not gotten better there since he arrived to Boston.

In 21 appearances for the Red Sox -- all out of the bullpen -- the right-hander has some absolutely dreadful numbers. With an 8.20 ERA, 1.982 WHIP and a bWAR of -1.1 already in just 18.2 innings, Hicks has just not found it again as he continues to search for answers.

As for Boston, it seems safe to say they are not comfortable with him on the mound in big situations right now, a reality which is going to make it tough for Hicks to crack their playoff roster. Though Giants fans can root for Hicks and hope it works out for him in the long run, dumping him -- and more importantly his sizable remaining contract -- is proving to have been the right call.

As San Francisco tries to make a playoff push led by Devers, they can take comfort in the fact that even if they fall short, it looks like they got some incredible value in what they gave up in exchange for their new franchise masher.

This article first appeared on San Francisco Giants on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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