The Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t enter this season quietly; they stormed in with a mission: defend their World Series crown. And so far, they’ve been nothing short of stellar, picking up exactly where they left off last year. With a strong 48–31 record, they’re leading the National League West and look comfortably in control. But now, a rival may have just armed themselves with the kind of weapon that changes everything. A stunning, blockbuster deal that happened just a week ago might have the power to shake up the race. Because if there’s one thing we know about MLB, it’s that anything can happen.

That’s right, you guessed it. We’re talking about Rafael Devers’ move to the Giants. When the Red Sox bid farewell to Raffy, they lost one of their biggest power sluggers but saved a few hundred million. But for the Giants, the biggest trade in their history might prove to be their best shot at glory this season. Thanks to Buster Posey’s strategic moves and, of course, to the Red Sox’s ongoing position drama. But for the Dodgers, Devers’ shift to the NL West is definitely not great news. And if WEEI’s Rob Bradford’s words are to be true, they better buckle up.

“San Francisco has ended up with a guy who was working on it first, doing postgame interviews, which he wasn’t doing before, but most importantly, they got a guy who is just one of the rarest hitters,” Bradford said in a conversation on the Bleed Los Podcast. “And I think for Dodgers fans, that’s the thing I would be wary of. Because the Giants were already a good team, now you drop in Devers, who was one of the best hitters in the game. That’s not hyperbole; that’s just a fact. And that makes the Giants a team that was already in it.” He’s not wrong at all. The Giants are on a roll this season. They are now just 3.5 games behind the Dodgers, sitting second in the division with a 44–34 record. And now, with Devers in the lineup, the odds of closing that gap have gotten much better.

“This was the type of acquisition where you just say, ‘That’s a game-changer,’ and it’s going to be a game-changer for the next eight years, I think,” Bradford continued. But before the trade, many had dismissed the Giants’ chances of claiming the division lead. “This is the Dodgers’ division. The Dodgers, at some point, will separate. There’s no chance for San Diego or San Francisco to edge out the Dodgers in this division. The only reason they’re close right now is because of the injuries to the Dodgers, but they are going to get healthy, and they will separate,” argued former Mets president Steve Phillips on MLB Network Radio. Well, the Dodgers are already better with Shohei Ohtani‘s return to the mound. However, the Giants have made a notable shift in the competitive balance with Devers, and the rivalry between the Giants and Dodgers is only going to escalate.

How could it not? Devers is already taking on roles for the Giants that he refused in Boston. “I’m here to help the team with whatever they need and whatever they want. I’m just another member of the team, and I’m going to be willing to give my 100 percent wherever they put me. I don’t have any ‘buts.’ I don’t really have a say. They’re my bosses, so I’m going to play wherever they put me,” Devers said after his Giants debut. Well, let’s just say the Giants hit the jackpot. But what about the Red Sox? According to an MLB insider, they might actually be better off without Devers.

Jon Heyman gives the Red Sox an A+ for the Devers decision

The two-time Silver Slugger said goodbye to the only team he had known in his major league career, and fans were furious over the team’s decision. Can you blame them? He was the face of the franchise. And now, they have to face him as a threat. Devers just helped the Giants win their three-game series against the Sox by hitting his first home run as a Giant. Even though the Red Sox have taken a hit now, this might turn out to be the best decision in the long run.

“I think they did the right thing,” Jon Heyman said on MLB Now. “We’re talking about a designated hitter who was a malcontent… He’s an unhappy guy, not doing his best. He was only a DH for them—we know that—and $30 million a year? I think they did great. If you’re just talking about the trade, and that’s all, I’d give them an A+,” he added.

His take definitely has some grounds. Devers was not happy with the team’s decision to move him from his usual third base. He agreed to be the DH to make room for Alex Bregman. But then they wanted him to play first base when Triston Casas got injured, which he turned down. From his point of view, that might seem fair. But for a team that’s struggling in the season, they would naturally expect their top player to step up when needed. And now, even though they’ve lost their best hitter, the Red Sox can bolster their roster with the $250 million they saved on his contract. With the trade deadline on the horizon, Boston better use it wisely and boost their postseason chances.