Rafael Devers is opening the 2026 season away from the infield, starting at designated hitter for a second straight game as San Francisco balances a “little bit” of hamstring trouble with a right-side infield setup that has already drawn scrutiny.
Why is Rafael Devers starting at DH again?
San Francisco is starting Devers at designated hitter for the second straight game, batting third against the New York Yankees. Before the game, Giants manager Tony Vitello described Devers as feeling “a little bit” of a hamstring issue, and the club is choosing not to rush him back into the field. Vitello’s position leaves open the possibility of an emergency return—Devers could play first base if necessary—but the immediate plan keeps him off the diamond.
The choice also echoes a familiar pattern from Devers’ recent past. His defensive position became a major talking point last year, and Devers—despite preferring to stay at third base—accepted a move to DH after Boston signed Alex Bregman to play third. Later, during the season, Devers resisted another position shift, this time to first base after Triston Casas injured his knee.
That backdrop matters now because the Giants’ current decision is not just about a day-to-day ailment; it has tactical consequences. Casey Schmitt is drawing another start at first base, the same position where Devers finished the 2025 campaign after being traded to San Francisco. But as the season opens, the Giants are separating Devers from that role, at least temporarily.
What’s not being said about the Giants’ right-side infield?
The public explanation is straightforward: a hamstring issue is keeping Devers from playing the field. Yet the most immediate ripple effect shows up on the right side of the infield, where San Francisco deployed an alignment on Opening Day that, in the words used around the club’s early-season conversation, has left the team “hamstrung. ”
On Wednesday night against the Yankees, the Giants started free-agent acquisition Luis Arraez at second base while Schmitt—who played second base for much of last season—handled first. The arrangement stands out because Arraez spent most of his time in the field last season with San Diego at first base. In other words, the Giants put a player with recent first-base usage at second, and a player with extensive second-base experience at first.
The reasoning offered for that flip is not medical. The Giants signed Arraez with a promise that he would get an opportunity to play second base—something other interested teams were not able to guarantee. Arraez has said that promise was a big factor in why he chose San Francisco. That framing suggests the early-season infield configuration is being shaped not only by Devers’ hamstring, but by a roster commitment made before the season began.
There are already hints of the costs. Arraez “looked fine” for the most part on Opening Day, though “growing pains” were viewed as inevitable. Meanwhile, Schmitt struggled with a ball in the dirt at first base, a difficulty that fits the context that he only started playing the position last season.
Evidence in motion: trade history, performance, and immediate stakes
Devers arrived in San Francisco through a June blockbuster that sent him from Boston to the Giants for Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks, James Tibbs III and Jose Bello. At the time of this season-opening stretch, Bello is noted as the only one of those players still in the Red Sox organization. In the same framing, Roman Anthony’s arrival and a playoff berth eased some disappointment around moving Devers.
For San Francisco, however, the immediate question is whether the club’s early choices—keeping Devers at DH and maintaining an unconventional right-side alignment—optimize performance against top competition. Devers entered this Yankees series having gone 1-for-4 with a single in Wednesday night’s season-opening loss. The matchup also features a personal storyline: Devers is set to face Massachusetts native Cam Schlittler, with the broader note that he has tormented the Yankees throughout his career.
There is also an on-field performance marker attached to Devers’ recent transition: after the trade to San Francisco, Devers posted a. 236/. 347/. 460 slash line in 90 games. That line does not settle the larger debate about where Devers fits best defensively, but it does frame the early season as a period when the Giants will be measuring both health and output while the roster seeks its most stable alignment.
Verified facts: Devers is DH for a second straight game; Vitello cited “a little bit” of a hamstring issue; Schmitt is starting at first base; Arraez started at second base on Opening Day; Arraez’s signing included an opportunity promise at second base; Schmitt had an issue fielding a ball in the dirt at first; Devers was traded in June for Harrison, Hicks, Tibbs III, and Bello; Devers hit. 236/. 347/. 460 in 90 games after the trade.
Informed analysis (clearly labeled): The Giants’ early infield alignment appears to be constrained by multiple forces at once—Devers’ hamstring and an offseason commitment to Arraez’s position—creating a situation where the club may have limited flexibility on the right side as long as both pressures remain in place.
For now, the Giants are signaling patience: Rafael Devers remains at DH as the hamstring situation is managed, and the rest of the right-side alignment is being asked to hold steady under immediate scrutiny.
