Red Sox still haunted by Rafael Devers trade

Boston Red Sox effectively received nothing for Rafael Devers

In return for Devers, the Giants sent pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison to Boston, along with outfield prospect James Tibbs III. 

Hicks got the most run with the club, but was atrocious, pitching to an 8.20 ERA as a relief pitcher there. He's now a Chicago White Sox pitcher. Harrison spent most of his time with the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate before they moved on from him in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. Durbin was the key return for Harrison.

This season, Harrison has a 2.61 ERA in two starts for the Brewers. Durbin has -0.2 WAR and just two hits in 28 at-bats as Boston's starting third baseman. 

Durbin is the starting third baseman because the Red Sox simultaneously mishandled contract negotiations with Alex Bregman. He's with the Chicago Cubs now, meaning that the team insulted its best slugger, traded him after creating an issue in the locker room, and only did so for about four months of Bregman. 

Then, still yet to play in the majors, is Tibbs. He was traded after only about a month in the Red Sox organization to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Dustin May. May would pitch in six games for the Red Sox and had a 5.40 ERA. Meanwhile, Tibbs is hitting .474 with a 1.719 OPS and seven home runs in Triple-A this season. 

In other words, the Red Sox effectively got nothing but salary relief for Devers. That's salary relief they did not use to re-sign Bregman. So, they had to trade for a replacement third baseman who has struggled at best this season.

Boston Red Sox need to turn things around soon

At 2-7, Boston now has the worst record in MLB, and there are major concerns about the offense. That's important because, as MLB researcher Justin Havens shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), 57 teams in the Wild Card Era have had that record or worse with a -15 run differential. Fifty-four have missed the postseason.

So, yes, there is time. It just might be less time than anyone realized. They'll have to turn things around now with the shadow of that failed trade hanging over their heads, too.