Giants Make Rafael Devers Decision Before Mets Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cole Hudson | Last updated Apr 5, 2026 2:34 PM ET

The San Francisco Giants will take on the New York Mets at home on Sunday, looking to split the four-game series. The Giants are coming off a tough 9-0 loss in which the offense struggled across the board, prompting a potential shake-up as they look to bounce back.

They will need one of their biggest superstars, Rafael Devers, to step up. The 29-year-old designated hitter delivered a strong performance earlier in the series, going 2-for-5 with a home run and an RBI in a 7-2 win over the Mets on Thursday.

However, Devers is seeing a change defensively for his tenth game of the season. Devers is set to make his first start at first base this season after serving exclusively as the designated hitter through the first nine games.

The lineup includes Willy Adames at shortstop, Luis Arraez at second base, Matt Chapman at third, Heliot Ramos in left field, Jung Hoo Lee in right, Jerar Encarnacion as DH, Harrison Bader in center, and Patrick Bailey at catcher. Logan Webb is expected to start on the mound.

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Devers’ move to first base could be significant for the Giants, signaling a willingness to expand his role in the field. He had been limited to designated hitter duties through the first nine games while managing left hamstring tightness suffered during spring training in February. The injury was considered day-to-day, and the team opted to reduce strain by keeping him out of the field early in 2026.

This marks the first time this season that Devers will appear defensively, and it continues a transition that began after he was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Giants last year. A career third baseman, Devers shifted to first base in San Francisco with Matt Chapman already established at the hot corner.

Despite the adjustment, his production remains constant. Across last season with both teams, he posted a .252 batting average, .372 on-base percentage, and .479 slugging percentage, along with 109 RBIs and 35 home runs in 163 combined games.

Devers has developed into one of the best third basemen in the league, now adding versatility with experience at first base and designated hitter. Signed by the Boston Red Sox as a 16-year-old international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in August 2013, he rose quickly through the minor leagues and made his MLB debut at age 20 in July 2017.

He has since become one of baseball’s most consistent hitters, earning three All-Star selections, two Silver Slugger Awards and contributing to Boston’s 2018 World Series title early in his career.

Devers is in the second year of a 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension signed in January 2023. After being traded in June 2025, the Giants assumed the deal, which includes $75 million in deferred money through 2043.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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