SAN FRANCISCO -- Rafael Devers’ bid to deliver the Giants’ first 40-homer season since Barry Bonds has come to a premature end.
Devers was placed on the 60-day injured list on Sunday with a core muscle injury that he’d been playing through for much of the season. The 29-year-old slugger will travel to Philadelphia on Monday to be evaluated by Dr. William Meyers, the same specialist who performed third baseman Matt Chapman’s season-ending bilateral core muscle surgery last month.
Manager Tony Vitello said the expectation is Devers will need surgery to fix the issue, which would be scheduled for Tuesday if recommended by Meyers.
“I think it's something that's bothered him for a few years now and kind of something that was a mystery to him,” Vitello said. “I think [head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner] and our people did a great job of giving him relief. Pretty significant relief and a little bit of joy out of him to just have an answer to what it was that was popping up. I can't even directly say medically what it was, but kind of a core injury. Not the same thing as Chappy, but similar. He'll deal with the same doctor Chappy did, so to have relief, I think, is big on his plan.”
Vitello said Devers -- who started 148 of the Giants’ first 149 games this year and didn’t receive his first off-day until Wednesday -- wanted to keep playing as long as possible, but the Giants felt now was a good time to shut him down to ensure he has enough time to recover and be ready for the 2027 season.
Devers managed to stay remarkably productive despite dealing with the bothersome core injury this year, batting .258 with an .865 OPS and a team-high 37 home runs, the most by a Giant since Bonds bashed 45 in 2004.
Devers had been especially hot in recent weeks, hammering 11 homers in his last 18 games to finish one shy of matching the career high (38) he set with the Red Sox in 2021. His 98 RBIs were also the most by a Giant since Hunter Pence amassed 99 in 2013.
Devers is expected to be a mainstay in San Francisco’s lineup for the foreseeable future, as he’s under contract through 2033 and should team up with fellow first baseman Bryce Eldridge to give the club a fearsome duo in the middle of the order for years to come.
“As much as he was enjoying himself this year and obviously performing well, I think he's pretty geeked up about next year,” Vitello said. “His confidence in next year's success gives me confidence.”
With Devers sidelined, right fielder Jung Hoo Lee is now the only position player who started for the Giants on Opening Day and has not been traded or suffered a season-ending injury this season. Second baseman Luis Arraez, left fielder Heliot Ramos and catcher Patrick Bailey were dealt earlier this year, while shortstop Willy Adames (left elbow sprain), infielder Casey Schmitt (left knee surgery), center fielder Harrison Bader (left foot injury) and Chapman are currently on the IL.
Outfielder Scott Bandura, a 2023 seventh-round Draft pick out of Princeton, was selected from Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday to replace Devers on the 28-man roster. Bandura started at designated hitter in his Major League debut on Sunday, becoming the 67th player to suit up for the Giants this year, which is a franchise record.
“[Hitting coach] Hunter [Mense] pointed out in the offensive meeting that you’ve got to embrace who you are at the time, and it’s been really fun to embrace the variety of personalities we’ve had, whether it’s post Trade Deadline or right after the All-Star break,” Vitello said.