SAN FRANCISCO — Rafael Devers was held without a homer in his first four games as a member of the San Francisco Giants.
It seemed almost inevitable that his first one would come against the Red Sox. And so it did, in the third inning of Saturday’s contest.
The Sox had contained their former third baseman and DH pretty well in Friday’s series opener, holding him hitless in five trips to the plate.
But after Devers was retired on a groundout to first in the first inning Saturday, he did some damage in his second at-bat. With teammate Andrew Knizner on base following an error by David Hamilton, Devers swatted at a four-seamer from Brayan Bello and hit out to left for a two-run shot.
It was his first homer since last Sunday, when, in one of his final plate appearances as a member of the Red Sox, he homered off the Yankees’ Max Fried in a 2-0 win over the Yankees.
Hours later, Devers was pulled off the team charter bound for Seattle and informed that he had been traded to San Francisco in exchange for pitchers Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks and two prospects.
There’s been talk that Devers can join past Giants lefthanded power hitters such as Barry Bonds by taking aim at McCovey Cove, the area of San Francisco Bay that sits behind right field at Oracle Park. Since the park opener, 106 balls have been hit there — many by Bonds.
But Devers’ first one as a member of the Giants was a classic opposite field shot for him, landing in the left field seats and measured at 370 feet with an exit velocity of 105.5 mph.
