Rafael Devers' diminishing bat speed slowing down Giants' big post-trade plans

Rafael Devers' diminishing bat speed slowing down Giants' big post-trade plans originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The San Francisco Giants had major aspirations.

Believing Rafael Devers would thrive on another team, refreshed from a new MLB start, the Giants engineered a blockbuster trade last June 15, trusting they acquired one of the game's most consistent hitters in his prime.

Twenty-three games into 2026, however, the Giants' plans have slowed, if not completely altered, after Devers posted a minus-0.8 WAR rating, the league's second-worst mark, through 132 plate appearances.

Devers' frustrations were mounting, evident when he broke his bat in half during an 8-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on April 15.

The front office's concerns, likewise, continue to grow. Devers, 29, is owed an average of more than $31 million per season through 2033.

Devers' bat speed is creating internal anxiety.

Four seasons ago, as a member of the Boston Red Sox, his average bat speed registered at 73.4 mph. The next season, he was down to 72.5 mph. In 2025, it was 71.6 mph.

This season, his side continues. He was at 71.2 mph.

The results are evident.

Through his opening 29 games, Devers posted a 30.8 percent strikeout rate, the highest of his 10-year major-league career.

Giants' Rafael Devers not producing in first season with Giants

Devers ended April with a .267 batting average and a 46.7 percent strikeout rate against fastballs in the heart of the strike zone, according to MLB.com. During the opening nine seasons of his career, the three-time All-Star compiled a batting average of .342 and a 19.7 percent strikeout rate on such pitches.

With Devers failing to catch up to once-hittable pitches, the Giants' offense has faltered, attempting to compensate for Devers. They ranked last with 104 runs scored.

During Saturday's 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, Devers went 1-for-4 and drove in the Giants' lone run with a sixth-inning double, his fifth.

Devers rarely speaks to the media. He did last week, sounding confident.

"I always stay positive," Devers said in Spanish, as reported by MLB.com. "I've always said that I know the type of player that I am.

"I know who I am. I know what I have to show."

The Giants' opponents know what Devers must show, as well. He must be able to square up a four-seamer again, or pitchers will continue to exploit the weakness.

Until then, the last-place Giants (13-20), whose offense opened the season with back-to-back shutouts, could continue to struggle to score.

Will it be a long nine more years with a declining Devers?