The New York Yankees earned a sweep in their last series and it provided some momentum that they’ll want to carry on as they wrap up the first half of a critical season.
After bringing back most of its roster from last year, the Yankees face as much pressure as ever to capture a World Series championship. And that could motivate another round of aggressive additions at the midseason trade deadline.
“It’s clear the Yankees will be approaching deadline season as buyers,” Anthony Franco wrote for MLB Trade Rumors. They’ve built a strong cushion in the Wild Card picture and are probably still the favorites in the division.”
The Yankees could target some bullpen help, another outfielder or even some upgrades around the infield. But one player they certainly won’t express any interest in is former nemesis Rafael Devers, who enjoyed some big moments against the Yankees as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
New York Yankees Legend Reggie Jackson Sends Rafael Devers Message As San Francisco Giants Struggle
Though Devers has been one of the most productive sluggers in his career, he has struggled mightily since joining the San Francisco Giants before last year’s trade deadline. After posting a .279/.349/.510 slash line in 10 years as the third baseman for the Red Sox, Devers is slashing just .238/.324/.440 across his two partial seasons for the Giants, a team that is struggling to stay relevant in the standings.
Despite Devers’ ongoing slump, though, one key former member of the Yankees singled him out as one of the most talented hitters in the sport.
“I like Rafael Devers,” Hall of Fame slugger Reggie Jackson told MLB.com’s Bill Ladson this week. “I still say he is going to come back. He is very quiet. He got thrown in the center of something. That’s not his personality. It may take him a little time to get settled in, come back and start smashing.”
San Francisco Giants Hope For Rafael Devers Turnaround After New York Yankees Legend’s Response
Devers, who has largely avoided the media this season, did join the Giants in a bout of turmoil. Last year, he refused to move to first base to accommodate the Red Sox and publicly criticized their decision to ask him to do so. That seemed to motivate the decision to trade him to the Giants, where he has been willing to switch defensive positions and has been more gentle in his public comments, when he does make them.
But his slump at the plate is one of the key reasons the Giants have been underperforming this season. So fans can take some solace in Jackson’s expectation that Devers just needs some additional time to get comfortable and return to the slugging ways he enjoyed as a member of the Yankees’ biggest division rival.
