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- Giants manager Tony Vitello sent Jonah Cox in to pinch run for Rafael Devers in the ninth.
- Devers attempted to shoo Cox back and appeared visibly frustrated as he left.
- Vitello said he could not reverse the announced substitution and defended it.
In most regards, Sunday’s top of the ninth inning was about as normal a save as possible for the Miami Marlins.
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After Rafael Devers drew a leadoff walk, Marlins reliever Lake Bachar induced a flyout and an inning-ending double play to preserve Miami’s 2-1 win.
But a routine managerial decision sparked a high-profile confrontation.
Giants manager Tony Vitello sent speedy outfielder Jonah Cox to pinch-run for Devers, whose sprint speed ranks in the 22nd percentile of MLB players, according to Statcast. The move was expected for Cox, 24, who has primarily been used as a pinch runner while trying to earn an everyday role.
This time, however, Devers wasn’t happy about it.
As Cox approached first base with no outs in the ninth inning, Devers appeared to shoo him back toward the dugout. He left the field visibly frustrated and appeared to strike his helmet against his head.
After the game, Devers declined to comment on the incident, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
What’d Vitello say?
Vitello said he pinch-ran for Devers because the first baseman was dealing with leg tightness after running the bases. He noted Devers served as the designated hitter Saturday to give his legs a rest.
Once the substitution was announced, Vitello could not reverse the decision under MLB rules.
“Just going with what our best effort is to win the game,” Vitello said of his decision postgame. “Obviously, you’d like to get Jonah to go get a bag … but on a double, going with our best chance to be able to score.”
Vitello said he did not see Devers’ full reaction but praised his competitive mindset, saying he prefers players who are difficult to remove from games because they want to compete. He added he does not plan to meet separately with Devers about the incident.
“I don’t have any problem with Rafi,” Vitello said. “We talk every day. He’s one of the most entertaining guys to be around. He probably wants to win as much as anybody in that clubhouse. And, like I said, he wants to stay in the game.”
Giants third baseman Matt Chapman said Devers was caught up in the moment but echoed Vitello’s assessment of his competitiveness.
“There’s a reason for what Tony did. I’m sure Rafi sees that,” Chapman said, according to the Chronicle. “I think it was just a heat of the moment thing. I can see where he’s coming from, but I think he will take a step back and realize there was some thought behind it.”
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What does Devers’ defiance mean?
Devers’ reaction on the basepaths came almost exactly one year after the blockbuster trade that sent him from the Boston Red Sox to San Francisco in exchange for pitcher Kyle Harrison and three other players.
Sunday’s incident, coupled with Devers’ relatively disappointing first season in San Francisco, reignited discussion about the 2025 trade, which reportedly stemmed in part from a deteriorating relationship between Devers and the Red Sox.
In 167 games with the Giants over the past two seasons, Devers has posted a .773 OPS with 31 home runs and 38 doubles. This season, he leads the National League with 23 doubles and is batting .238/.302/.443.
While those numbers remain above league average, they fall well short of the .859 OPS he posted during nine seasons with Boston, where he earned four All-Star selections and two Silver Slugger Awards.
At one point, Devers was viewed as the cornerstone of the Red Sox franchise, starting at third base during Boston’s 2018 World Series championship and emerging as one of the club’s top hitters.
However, the split between Devers and the Red Sox reportedly began as a dispute over his future after he was moved from third base to first base, but devolved into a larger issue. MLB.com’s Ian Browne said on social media that a similar incident to Sunday’s occurred in Boston but was handled internally.
Although Harrison broke out in 2026, it was not with the Red Sox, who traded the 24-year-old to the Milwaukee Brewers during the offseason.
Of the other three players the Giants included in the trade, only pitching prospect Jose Bello remains in the organization. He has a 3.07 ERA at Single-A.
Reliever Jordan Hicks posted an 8.20 ERA with Boston in 2025 before being traded to the Chicago White Sox, while outfield prospect James Tibbs III was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers for pitcher Dustin May, who struggled in 2025 before leaving in free agency.
Although Devers has not matched his production in Boston, the Red Sox no longer control most of the players acquired in the deal, making it difficult to declare San Francisco the loser of the trade. However, the remaining $211 million on Devers’ contract through 2033, according to CBS Sports, could shape how the deal is ultimately viewed.
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