The San Francisco Giants inherited a $331 million commitment when they traded for Rafael Devers, expecting a franchise-altering star. But eighteen games into 2026 and that powerhouse they bet on looks like a total meltdown. He has managed just 2 home runs with a .229 average and a .609 OPS. For a player who has one of the largest contracts in baseball, the production gap is becoming difficult to ignore. Even for Devers, whose actions on the field told a telling tale.

On Wednesday playing against the Cincinnati Reds, all hell broke loose, quite literally. In the second inning, the Reds’ Rhett Lowder was on the mound and threw a changeup in the middle of the strike zone. A prime-time Devers would have sent it for a 400-footer, but he missed it badly. It was a strikeout, and Devers walked back to the dugout, visibly frustrated. In the middle, he first banged his bat to the ground, and once it bounced back, Devers just broke it in half and faded away in the dugout.

The clip spread quickly, with Talkin’ Baseball posting, “Frustration is setting in for Rafael Devers and the Giants.” But Devers reaction was not because of one at-bat or a bad night. It was a direct reflection between the expectation and execution.

Devers scored 28 homers at .272 in 2024, that raised to 35 homers at .252 in 2025. This year, the numbers are all dwindling. Devers’ bat speed in 2023 was 73.4 mph. Then, it has steadily lowered over the last few years and is now at 71.0. He’s gone from the 68th percentile to the 36th percentile. But the worst part is that along with Devers, the entire team is struggling.

This year, the Giants have had 571 plate appearances and taken 33 walks. Still, if those numbers don’t bother you, their ranking will. Last year, the Giants were ranked 4th in terms of BB%, and this year, they are 30th! Willy Adames is leading the hitting chart with 3 HRs, which tells the sad story of the team’s power hitting.

And apart from their batting struggle, they are making blunders when it comes to following the fundamental rules of baseball! Reportedly, the Giants nearly started the top of the eighth inning without a right fielder. A blunder was narrowly missed as Jerar Encarnacion came out of the dugout just before the start of the inning because he couldn’t find his glove, an amateur mistake that saddled reliever J.T. Brubaker with a clock violation. So, blame it on the overall clubhouse equation or luck, nothing is going right for the Giants.

Adding a string of irony to the scene is the date itself. April 15 is Jackie Robinson Day. It’s a tradition across MLB to wear No. 42 jersey, and Devers too wore it. That jersey is synonymous with discipline, grace and poise under pressure. But seeing a superstar in that iconic uniform snap that bat over his knee was a jarring visual, and that wasn’t lost on the fans.

Giants fans call out Rafael Devers

Fans are wondering if landing Rafael Devers was the right decision for the Giants. “Red Sox fleeced the Giants after all,” one fan said. Stats for Devers were all down only after leaving Fenway Park. For reference, in 108 games with the Giants, the 29-year-old recorded an underwhelming .235/.336/.437. That’s below his career .279/.349/.510 line before the trade.

So, the Giants fans are yet to see Devers at his best, just as the Red Sox fans witnessed previously. “Red Sox fleeced the giants on that contract,” another fan agrees.

“Trade him, not a good fit. The Giants need a real star!” One user shared the most obvious demand. From his existing $313 million and 10-year deal with the Red Sox, the Giants agreed to take on the remaining value of his contract, which was roughly $250 million over the final eight-plus seasons. So, there’s still a huge amount remaining. It is highly unlikely any team would be willing to take a chance on Devers right now, given his current struggles at the plate.

“Maybe don’t swing for the fences every time, Raffy,” one user remarked. “Swing out of your a– every time, what could go wrong?” another added.

Devers is trying to hit every pitch out of the park. But still, his hard-hit rate last year was 56.1%, and now in 2026 it’s fallen to a 49%. In terms of exit velocity, Rafael Devers is currently at a 91.2 mph average exit velocity, which was 93.5 mph last year. So, despite him swinging every pitch, the numbers aren’t getting better.

Hereon, the calls against Rafael Devers would only take a serious turn. Only an immediate turnaround for both the Giants and Devers would cure the fans’ dissatisfaction.