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SAN FRANCISCO — For Rafael Devers, his first house run for San Francisco felt just like the 215 he hit for Boston — even when this one got here in opposition to the Pink Sox simply six days after his stunning commerce to the Giants.
Devers delighted his new followers in San Francisco when he linked for a two-run homer in opposition to his former staff on Saturday to assist gasoline a 3-2 win for the Giants.
“Nothing extra particular than every other house run that I hit,” he mentioned by means of an interpreter. “I’m simply right here and completely satisfied that I used to be capable of contribute for the staff’s win.”
Devers started his first collection in opposition to the Pink Sox by going 0 for five on Friday night time and grounding out in his first at-bat Saturday. He then delivered simply what his new staff had been anticipating when he hit an opposite-field drive off Brayan Bello over the left-field fence for a two-run homer within the third inning.
“That’s type of typical him too, simply let it journey and catch it late and block it out to left discipline,” supervisor Bob Melvin mentioned. “He’s carried out it so many instances in Boston. This park type of performs that option to lefties as effectively. I believe to get that one off his again, feels good about that, clearly being extremely impactful within the consequence of the sport. Now he can settle in and do his factor.”
Devers received loud cheers from the Oracle Park crowd of 39,027 as he rounded the bases for his 216th profession house run that simply occurred to be caught by a fan in a Pink Sox T-shirt.
“As quickly as he hit it, you type of really feel nearly somewhat weight fell off his shoulders when he hit that ball,” Giants starter Landen Roupp mentioned. “You might simply see it. We count on many extra from him in that space. Actually excited to have him on the staff and he will likely be an enormous assist.”
Devers turned the tenth participant to homer for and in opposition to the identical staff in a span of seven days or fewer, in keeping with Sportradar. The final participant to do it was Abraham Toro, who homered for Houston in opposition to Seattle on July 26, 2021, after which for the Mariners in opposition to the Astros the following day.
That is the third time it occurred with a participant traded by the Pink Sox. Don Lenhardt and Walt Dropo each did it in 1952, with their homers for Detroit in opposition to Boston coming in the identical sport on June 6 that season, three days after they had been traded collectively in an eight-player deal.
Devers additionally joined Willie Mays, Jimmie Foxx and 4 different gamers who hit their first 200 profession homers with one staff after which had their first homer on their new staff come in opposition to their former staff.
Devers was traded by Boston lower than two years right into a 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension that he signed in 2023.
Devers’ relationship with the Pink Sox started to deteriorate when the staff signed Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman throughout spring coaching and requested Devers to maneuver to DH; he balked earlier than agreeing to the swap. When first baseman Triston Casas sustained a season-ending knee damage, the Pink Sox approached Devers about taking part in the sector and he declined, saying the entrance workplace “ought to do their jobs” and search for one other participant.
A day after Devers’ feedback to the media about taking part in first, Pink Sox proprietor John Henry, staff president Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow flew to Kansas Metropolis to satisfy with Devers and supervisor Alex Cora.
Devers’ stance didn’t change and he was ultimately traded to San Francisco the place he’s training at first base to play there later this season. Devers mentioned Friday that he wouldn’t have carried out something otherwise in his time in Boston, including that he was as completely satisfied as he has been in years after becoming a member of the Giants.
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