Devers -- who appeared in 73 games for the Red Sox before making his Giants debut in San Francisco’s 73rd game of the year -- now has a chance to add his name to the list.
“We might have to try to make that happen,” manager Bob Melvin said. “He just likes to play baseball. He really does. I think the DHing probably helps, too, to be able to play 162. But I didn’t know that. That’s pretty cool.”
That such a unique feat is within reach for Devers is even more remarkable considering the 28-year-old slugger wasn’t fully healthy when the Giants acquired him on June 15. Devers dealt with a nagging groin injury that initially limited him to DH duties, though he managed to overcome the issue and make his first career appearance at first base on July 22.
“When we first got him, he was a little banged up,” Melvin said. “It was hard to even get him to work at a position we wanted him to play because he was banged up. He still went out there and did as much as he could with it.”
The Giants nearly gave Devers a full day off on Aug. 24 at Milwaukee, but he ended up entering the game as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning, which kept the possibility of a 163-game season in play. He hasn’t been out of the starting lineup since, batting .233 with a .776 OPS and 16 home runs over 82 games for the Giants this year.
“What I found out about Rafael Devers is that what makes him smile is playing baseball,” Melvin said. “We’re lucky to have him. If you look at the numbers he’s put up across the board -- the walks, the runs, the RBIs, all the production -- it’s been fantastic. He’s going to be a Giant for a long time. We’re lucky to have him.”
