Red Sox beat Giants in Devers' return to Fenway

The Boston Red Sox defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-4 on Friday night at Fenway Park, a victory overshadowed by the return of former star Rafael Devers to the ballpark he called home for nearly a decade. Devers, traded to the Giants in June 2025, hit his 26th home run of the season in a losing effort, receiving a mixed reception from the Fenway crowd in his first game back as an opponent.

A five-run third inning proved decisive for Boston, highlighted by a three-run homer from Willson Contreras that erased an early 1-0 Giants lead. The Red Sox starting pitcher, Sonny Gray, surrendered four runs over six innings. San Francisco attempted a comeback in the fourth when Drew Gilbert and Devers hit back-to-back home runs to cut the deficit to 5-4, but Boston’s bullpen held the lead for the remainder of the game.

For Devers, the evening marked a complex homecoming. The three-time All-Star, who spent nine seasons in Boston and helped the team win the 2018 World Series, was traded following a public dispute with the front office. The conflict began in February 2025 when the Red Sox signed third baseman Alex Bregman and asked Devers to move to designated hitter. He initially balked but...