How hot is SF Giants’ Devers? How he’s sharing company with Bonds, Mays

SAN FRANCISCO — Rafael Devers has adopted a new home run celebration in recent weeks. Just as he’s about to cross home plate, he will use his index and middle fingers to cover up both eyes. And in recent weeks, that celly has gotten a ton of mileage.

Even with the Giants in the final weeks of a fifth straight non-winning season, Devers is riding one of the best stretches of his career. Over his last seven games before Monday, Devers has totaled six homers, seven walks, and 13 RBIs. It’s easily the hottest he’s been since putting on a Giants uniform, and with about three weeks remaining, he’s got a chance at reaching a couple of big, round numbers.

Before the Giants’ game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday at Oracle Park, Devers had 35 homers and 91 RBIs while leading the majors in doubles.

If he reaches 100 RBIs, he’d be the first Giant to do so since Buster Posey in 2012. If he hits 40 homers (his current career-high is 38), he’d be the first Giant to do so since Barry Bonds in 2004.

If he can reach both marks, he’d join Bonds, Orlando Cepeda, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Kevin Mitchell as the only players to have a 40-100 season since the team moved to San Francisco.

“I really don’t pay attention to those numbers,” Devers said through team interpreter Erwin Higueros last week. “For me, I just want to play baseball. I don’t even know what my batting average is right now. I don’t even know how many home runs I have. The only thing I want to do is just play baseball, have fun and enjoy the game.”

“It’s been like watching Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant,” said manager Tony Vitello. “Albert Pujols is here covering the game (as a broadcaster). It’s kind of like watching one of those guys that can literally control a game. … It’s no secret that if you look at the games we’ve been able to win the last 10 games, he’s the main schtick, the straw that’s stirring the drink.”

So, just how hot has Devers been as of late? Let’s take a look at the numbers:

Since the Giants moved to San Francisco, there have been two other players with 6+ homers, 7+ walks and 13+ RBIs in a seven-game stretch: Mays and Bonds. Before Devers, the last players to reach all three benchmarks in a seven-game span were Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani in 2024.

Devers’s current hot streak extends well beyond the last week. Over his last 21 games, Devers has totaled 11 homers, 14 walks and 25 RBIs while posting a 1.255 OPS. Only three other Giants have hit those marks in a 21-game span in franchise history: Bonds, McCovey and Dave Kingman.

“He’s been a lot more vocal in our hitters’ meetings about what he’s seeing and approaches he’s seen that have worked on different pitchers,” said rookie outfielder Jonah Cox. “He was a leader in the beginning, just in kind of a different way. Now, he’s coming into his voice and speaking out a little bit more.”

The fact that Devers will end up with a season in line with his career norms is all the more impressive given how poorly he performed to start the season.

Devers posted a .537 OPS in March/April, the second-lowest OPS he’s had in a single month in his career. He entered May ranking 171st among 181 qualified hitters in OPS, and his cold spell contributed to the Giants’ decision to call up Bryce Eldridge and Jesús Rodríguez after the Giants went winless on their six-game road trip against the Phillies and Rays.

But since then? He’s been one of the best hitters in baseball. His .945 OPS since May 1 is the third-best in the majors behind only Pete Crow-Armstrong (1.019) and Yordan Alvarez (.980), both of whom might win MVP in their respective leagues.

Devers ended May worth -0.7 WAR, per FanGraphs, the third-lowest mark in the majors. From May onwards, Devers has been worth 3.9 WAR, tied with the San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. for the sixth-most in the majors during that stretch.