Rafael Devers' 2026 season is finished. The San Francisco Giants placed their slugging first baseman and designated hitter on the 60-day injured list with a core muscle injury, as reported by CBS News. CBS Sports covered the 2025 Devers trade. Devers had been playing through the discomfort for much of the year before the team shut him down.
Devers is scheduled to see Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia on Monday, and if the specialist recommends surgery, the procedure could come as soon as Tuesday, according to CBS News. Meyers, based at the Vincera Institute, was involved in Sidney Crosby's surgery, according to CBS News. The report did not specify a return timeline for Devers.
A Season of Pain, Then a Late Surge
Despite the injury, Devers turned in one of the most productive offensive seasons of his career. He led the Giants with 37 home runs and 98 RBIs, batting .258 overall after a rough start that saw him hitting just .207 with two home runs through April, per the same CBS News report. He caught fire down the stretch, homering in his final two games and posting eight home runs and 20 RBIs over his last 11 games before the shutdown.
The Giants' report card on Devers' bat this year is even more striking when park factors are considered. Devers hit 19 home runs at Oracle Park in 2026, the highest single-season home run total by any Giants player at their home venue since Barry Bonds hit 26 there in 2004, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. His total highlighted his production at the Giants' home venue. Across his time before landing on the injured list, he produced at a high level.
Durability Interrupted
Between joining the Giants on June 15, 2025 and Sunday's injured list placement, Devers missed only one game — on September 9 — making 2026 a season in which he remained largely available, NBC Sports Bay Area reports. That availability underscores just how long Devers pushed through the abdominal distress before surgery became a real possibility.
A Costly Trade, A $313.5 Million Contract
San Francisco acquired Devers from Boston in June 2025 in a deal that cost the Giants four players sent to the Red Sox: left-handed starter Kyle Harrison, right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks, outfield prospect James Tibbs III, and minor league pitcher Jose Bello, according to CBS Sports. Devers is now in the third season of a $313.5 million, 10-year contract, per CBS News. Over 10 Major League seasons, Devers carries a .274 batting average and 272 home runs.
Another Core Injury to Hit Giants' Infield
Third baseman Matt Chapman also had an appointment with Meyers for a core muscle issue and underwent season-ending surgery performed by Meyers in August, according to MLB.com. Chapman had suffered tears on both sides of his abdominal wall before going under the knife. Infielder Casey Schmitt, who was hitting .271 with 21 home runs, was expected to miss the next several weeks with a knee meniscus tear, as reported by Sports Illustrated.
Rookie Steps In From Sacramento
To fill the roster spot, the Giants selected the contract of outfielder Scott Bandura from Triple-A Sacramento, per CBS News. Bandura, a draft pick, hit .324 with a .430 on-base percentage in 142 Triple-A at-bats in 2026, according to Baseball America. He also played baseball before reaching Triple-A.
Since acquiring Devers in June 2025 through Sunday's shutdown, the Giants saw him produce one of the most prolific power seasons in franchise history at Oracle Park. Whether Devers needs surgery — and what that means for his 2027 outlook — now hinges on Monday's consultation in Philadelphia.
