Rafael Devers did his job.
The San Francisco Giants started the ninth inning in Miami down 2-1, and Devers led off with a walk. That’s exactly what they needed with three outs left.
What happened next wasn’t nearly as smooth.
The Giants sent Jonah Cox, their rookie outfielder, to first base as a pinch-runner for Devers. Standard late-game strategy, right?
Not according to Devers. He gestured for Cox to go back to the dugout and kept signaling that he didn’t want to come out.
When the Giants stuck with the move, Devers eventually walked off and threw a tantrum in the dugout.
What in the world?
Rafael Devers didn’t want to be removed for a pinch runner after a leadoff walk to start the ninth pic.twitter.com/PR3DCOFd3M
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 21, 2026
Look, there’s always a chance the game cycles back around to Devers’ spot in the lineup. But the most important thing in that moment is getting that runner home, and Cox gives them a much better chance to do it.
The numbers tell the story. Devers’ sprint speed sits in the 22nd percentile at 26.2 feet per second. Cox clocks in at the 89th percentile with 28.8 feet per second.
That’s not even close. The Giants made the right call, no question.
Even if you want to argue the strategy, there’s no excuse for Devers to react like that. This isn’t a pitcher lobbying to face another batter. It’s a slow runner making the case that he should stay in to… run?
The whole thing highlights what’s becoming a real concern about Devers and his future in the Bay Area. His approach doesn’t seem geared toward maximizing what the Giants are trying to accomplish, and that’s a problem that goes way beyond one ninth-inning substitution.
