When the San Francisco targeted Rafael Devers as the bat to anchor their lineup, they dealt Kyle Harrison to the Boston Red Sox. For the first time since the trade, Harrison had a chance to settle the score.
It did not go well for the Giants. Harrison, who is in the midst of a breakout year with the Milwaukee Brewers, dominated San Francisco’s lineup at American Family Field. The left-hander held them to one run on four hits and matched his career high with 12 strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
The extra kicker in the deal is that Harrison struck out Devers all three times they faced each other. All three strikeouts came on well-located four-seamers.
Ultimately, the Brewers prevailed 8-3 in the game, with Harrison picking up the win against his former club.
Kyle Harrison on Facing Giants After Trade
It can be a mixed feeling for a player to face the team he was drafted by, developed under, and debuted for. But for Harrison, a chance to show the Giants made a mistake trading him.
“I try telling myself it’s another game, but you got that extra little bit of conviction behind those pitches,” Harrison told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Curt Hogg.
While Harrison stressed that it’s just one of 162 games, he also admitted the excitement of facing his former club added some conviction behind his pitches.
Harrison dominated with his four-seamer and slurve combination. The two offerings accounted for 100 of the left-hander’s 106 pitches. His fastball had some extra velocity, at 0.7 MPH more than his season average of 94.9 MPH. The effectiveness was evident, as Harrison induced 19 whiffs and landed 20 more called strikes on the night.
The left-hander grew up near the Bay Area, pitching at De Salle High School. The Giants drafted him with a third-rounder in 2020 and he debuted with the club in 2023.
“It’s always going to be personal. I grew up 40 minutes from [Oracle Park]. I had a great time there, cherished my memories with them. It feels good, but I got to do it again in five days. So I can’t get too caught up in that.”
Giants Could Regret Rafael Devers Trade
Less than a year after the Rafael Devers trade, it hasn’t gone well for the Giants. While his the exit velocity and quality of contact metrics are better, Devers’ overall production has declined in 2026.
Entering play on June 2, the left-handed-hitting slugger is slashing .247/.298/.421 with seven home runs and a 101 wRC+. That’s a far cry from even what he produced after the trade, in which he had a 126 wRC+.
The Giants didn’t envision a league-average bat when they paid a premium for Devers. The 29-year-old had been a consistent 30-homer bat than would drive in 100 runs a season with the Red Sox.
The idea was the Giants were making a push to separate early in the 2025 Wild Card race. That didn’t happen, as they finished around .500 for the fourth straight season with 81 wins.
The Giants’ rotation struggles certainly don’t make the pill easier to swallow. The club currently ranks 29th in starter ERA (4.93) and 20th in FIP (4.25). The struggles of the rotation have been a contributing factor to a 23-38 record.
Ultimately, it’s a case where the Giants took a big swing-and-miss on acquiring an impact talent to improve their fortunes. But as they are headed for the National League’s cellar, it can be tough to watch Harrison thrive with another club that seems postseason bound.
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