Received sudden trade notification 20-30 minutes before the start of the game. The San Francisco Giants decided to make a bold move for the championship, and left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison (24), who was used as a trade card, was left in shock.

Harrison was announced as the starting pitcher for the away game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on the 16th (Korean time). He was preparing for the start as usual, but received the trade notification suddenly 20-30 minutes before the game. San Francisco shifted to a bullpen day, presenting Sean Jelly as the starter instead of Harrison. The team lost that day to the Dodgers 4-5.

San Francisco executed a large 4-for-1 trade, sending Harrison along with pitcher Jordan Hicks (29), José Bello (21), and outfielder James Toppin III (23) to receive Rafael Devers (29), a 'premium slugger' from the Boston Red Sox.

It's shocking that Devers, who has hit 215 home runs in 9 seasons with Boston, was traded overnight. Although Devers was in an uncomfortable relationship with the team after refusing to move positions following the free-agent signing of Alex Bregman for the same third base position, he was performing well this season with a batting average of .272 (74 hits in 272 at-bats), 15 home runs, and 58 RBIs in 73 games, with an OPS of .905. Boston recently regained a .500 winning percentage with 7 wins out of 8 games, including a 5-game winning streak, making the trade of Devers even more surprising.

While the shock for Devers must have been significant, Harrison, who moved because of him, was also deeply affected. The San Francisco Chronicle reported, quoting ace Logan Webb, that Harrison was shocked by the sudden trade notification.

Webb said, “Harrison grew up in the Bay Area and played for only one team throughout his career while living close to his family. It’s really tough to come off the mound just before facing the best lineup in baseball. Still, Harrison handled it like a pro.”

For Harrison, who hails from San Jose, California, San Francisco is his hometown team. Leaving such a team suddenly just before the game must be an unimaginable shock. Webb encouraged him, saying, “I told Harrison before leaving, 'You’re going to Boston to become a star.' I think it’s a good destination for him, and he will surely do well.”

Drafted by San Francisco in the 3rd round, 85th overall in 2020, Harrison developed into a key prospect and made his Major League debut in August 2023. He gained experience in the starting rotation last year with 7 wins and 7 losses, an earned run average of 4.56, and 118 strikeouts over 124⅓ innings in 24 games. This season he has a record of 1 win, 1 loss, and 1 hold, an earned run average of 4.56, and 25 strikeouts over 23⅔ innings in 8 games (4 starts). He throws a four-seam fastball averaging 95.1 mph (153.0 km), along with a slider and changeup.

This trade was made in such a hurry that the parties involved were notified right before the game. Buster Posey, the president of baseball operations for San Francisco, said, “We had been in discussions for weeks, and recently gained momentum. It’s not ideal to trade the starting pitcher on the day, but it was an opportunity to finalize the negotiations. Sending away young starter Harrison wasn’t an easy decision, but we’re excited to acquire one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball. Devers' bat is truly special. It’s very difficult to acquire a player with this kind of talent at this stage of his career. We incurred a lot of costs, gave up a pitcher, and relinquished last year's first-round pick. The cost was high, but we decided it was important to seize this opportunity.” San Francisco, amid a slump, needed a strong punch to compete for the division title against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Devers fit the puzzle.

San Francisco players also welcomed Devers with open arms. Webb said, “Acquiring a player of this caliber gives us a chance to win. I don’t know where he will be positioned in the lineup, but he’s someone who can play every day. Simply put, the best player has come. I'm really happy.” Shortstop Willy Adames said, “This is a huge boost for our lineup. We needed a hitter like this. I’m so happy that I don’t know how to express it.”

Meanwhile, Devers, who signed an 11-year, $313.5 million extension with Boston in January 2023, has about $270 million remaining on his contract through 2033. The $270 million in remaining salary is now wholly assumed by San Francisco, which far exceeds the franchise's previous record contract (7 years, $182 million) given to shortstop Adames last winter.

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