James Tibbs III reacts to being in Rafael Devers trade, excited for potential future with Red Sox
While the Red Sox will see Rafael Devers in his new San Francisco Giants uniform this weekend, it might be a while before Boston fans see any of the players the team received in the surprising blockbuster. That is unless they head to Worcester or Portland, Maine.
While Devers is already mashing for the Giants, the four players the Red Sox received are either injured or in the minor leagues. Hard-throwing reliever Jordan Hicks is sidelined with a foot injury, while lefty starter Kyle Harrison, outfielder James Tibbs III, and pitcher Jose Bello will be taking the bus for the foreseeable future.
Harrison was sent to Triple-A Worcester after Sunday's trade was completed, and has yet to make his debut for the WooSox. Tibbs, meanwhile, is now in Double-A Portland where he made his debut for the Sea Dogs on Tuesday.
The outfielder/first baseman, who is currently ranked the No. 6 prospect in the Boston system, collected his first career hit at the Double-A level on Wednesday. On Thursday night, he went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and two runs scored for Portland in a 7-6 loss to Akron.
Tibbs spoke with WBZ-TV's and CBS News Boston's Joe Weil ahead of Thursday's game and shared his reaction to being traded to the Red Sox, an organization he had always hoped to be a part of. He just had to take a different and very unexpected route to join the Boston franchise.
Tibbs' reaction to be traded to the Red Sox
Devers was traded just hours after he hit a home run for Boston in a 2-0 win over the Yankees at Fenway Park. He and his teammates were about to board a flight and head off on a nine-game west coast swing, when Devers was pulled aside and told he had been dealt to San Francisco.
Tibbs' trade story was just as interesting. He was wrapping up his final game with the Eugene Emeralds in High-A ball and had just worked a walk in the ninth inning. When he got to first base, he was surprised to see he was being lifted for a pinch runner.
When Tibbs got back to the dugout, the team's pitching coach handed him a phone. The director of San Francisco's farm system was on the other end, and told Tibbs he had been traded to the Boston Red Sox.
"My first thought was, 'Huh, no kidding. Alright.' A lot of emotion," Tibbs told Weil. "Definitely was very sad to leave those guys; I had a great time over there and had a blast with that group of guys in Eugene. But I was immediately so fired up to become a Red Sox."
Tibbs got a taste for baseball in New England when he played for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2023.
"Being in New England and playing in the Cape, I knew the love for Boston sports and the Red Sox specifically," he explained.
Then Tibbs started wondering how he ended up in Boston.
"Then I was like, 'Alright, who was I traded for?' When I found out it was Devers, I was like, alright, this could go one of two ways. It went both ways for sure, with a lot of mixed emotions. I tried my best not to go on social media and get my feelings hurt," he said.
While the reaction among Red Sox fans certainly swayed one way after the trade was announced, it didn't take away from Tibbs' excitement. He said it was extremely humbling to be in the trade package for a player like Devers.
"To be a part of something like that, it's very cool, very humbling. Very appreciative of the Red Sox giving me a chance to come and play here," said Tibbs. "Couldn't be a better spot, a better opportunity. I'm ecstatic to be here."
Tibbs in the Cape Cod Baseball League
Tibbs put together a solid campaign for the Whitecaps in his lone season on the Cape, slashing .303/.390/.472 with six homers, six doubles, 25 RBI, and 17 runs scored over 40 games. He was drawn to the region that summer, and hoped to return for his pro career.
"I remember walking away like, 'Wow. This place is fantastic.' The people, the places, there are so many cool spots here. I'm a big food guy, and the food is phenomenal so I'm excited to be back for that as well," he said.
What food is Tibbs looking forward to scarfing down the most?
"Clams and lobster," he said. "It's hard to beat."
Tibbs was drafted by the Giants with the 13th overall pick out of Florida State in 2024. He was hoping to go to Boston at 12th overall, but the Red Sox picked Braden Montgomery instead. (Montgomery was traded to the White Sox in the Garrett Crochet trade over the offseason.)
"This was a place I had hoped to play one day," Tibbs said of the Red Sox. "I had hoped they picked me in the draft, but they didn't and now I'm here anyways. Pretty funny how the circle comes around in full."
Tibbs is hoping to get a crack at Fenway Park in the near future. He was supposed to get a chance to hit some batting practice at the famous ballpark during a prospect day while with Brewster, but it was canceled because of rain when he was on-deck.
"It's always been in the back of my mind. At least if I play one game in the big leagues with the Giants, I had hoped it was at Fenway. Now I get the opportunity to call it home," he said. "It's even cooler for me and even cooler for us as a family."
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