All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers was traded to the Giants from the Red Sox Sunday night in a stunning deal that will see San Francisco take on on all the remaining money on Devers' 10-year, $313.5 million deal that started last season. 

Therein lies one of the big takeaways from this deal. 

If there's one thing we've learned in less than a year of Buster Posey being the president of baseball operations for the Giants, it's that he isn't shy about spending ownership's money. Nor should he be, to be clear. The Giants, like a good number of teams in baseball, have plenty of money. Owner Charles Johnson's net worth is $5 billion, according to Forbes. Throwing money around for good players is something more teams should do and being aggressive with salary isn't strictly related to signing free agents. Extensions and trades also factor here and Posey has pulled off all three moves so far.

It might even be what got Posey the job in the first place.

Rafael Devers trade: Winners and losers, including the present-day Giants, the future Red Sox and Gerrit Cole

Mike Axisa

Remember, third baseman Matt Chapman and the Giants agreed to a six-year, $151 million last September and shortly thereafter reports broke that it was Posey and not then-president Farhan Zaidi who led negotiations. Later that month, Zaidi was fired and Posey took over. 

This past offseason, the Giants signed shortstop Willy Adames to a seven-year, $182 million deal. Devers has eight years and $254.5 million left on his deal after this season.

Prior to Posey intervening on the Chapman deal, the Giants had no players locked up past 2029. They now have three under contract through 2030 and two through 2031 -- both north of $30 million per season -- with Devers' deal running through 2033. 

Devers is a star. The previous Red Sox front office thought enough of him to sign him to a deal that made him the franchise centerpiece. Things apparently went sour with the new front office in Boston and Posey pounced into action. 

In his age-28 season here in 2025, Devers is hitting .271/.400/.494 (149 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 14 homers, 57 RBI, 46 runs and 2.2 WAR. He immediately becomes the best hitter the Giants have. He'll lose some home runs in the transition from Fenway Park to Oracle Park as his home, but his full arsenal of skills will travel anywhere. He'll make the lineup as a whole better just by sitting in the middle of it.

Win-now Giants made a win-now trade for Rafael Devers: Why San Francisco needed to make the deal to compete

Mike Axisa

Meanwhile, the Giants are battling right in the middle of a very tough National League field of playoff contention. They are two games back of the Dodgers in the NL West and hold the second NL wild-card spot right now. Posey knows very well how any team can win the World Series, given that he has three rings from his playing days, one of which came from the second wild-card spot. 

It also can't be discounted to consider the mental factor in the clubhouse. That is to say that the Giants' players right now have just gotten a clear message that the front office is going to do whatever it can to supplement the roster and help them make the playoffs this season. Players love seeing a front office willing to do what it takes and loathe playing for teams in an opposite situation. Isn't your job better when your boss gives you the resources to succeed?

Posey and the Giants are to be commended for not worrying about the dollars attached to Devers and instead going out and just grabbing a player who will almost certainly be the best bat traded in 2025. Being aggressive and doing so with money has been a signature trait of Posey's front office thus far and doesn't figure to change any time soon.