SAN FRANCISCO — The Red Sox landed a four-player package of Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, James Tibbs III and Jose Bello from the Giants in exchange for slugger Rafael Devers, with San Francisco taking on the entirety remaining on Devers’ 10-year contract. It turns out, though, that Boston had its sights set on another prize when talks with the Giants began.

According to The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly, in the early stages of discussions on Devers, the Red Sox “insisted upon 20-year-old first base prospect Bryce Eldridge but the Giants refused to consider including him in the deal.” Ultimately, the sides came to terms with Eldridge remaining in the San Francisco organization.

Eldridge, a 2023 first-rounder out of a Virginia high school, was recently ranked as the No. 19 prospect in baseball, per Baseball America. He is struggling in Triple-A (.143 average, 2 homers, .498 OPS) in 11 games after hitting .280 with seven homers, 20 RBIs and an .862 OPS in 34 games at Double-A Richmond. Eldridge homered 23 times and drove in 92 runs across three levels in his first full professional season last year. It appears the Giants continue untouchable.

For the Red Sox, Eldridge was a logical pursuit. With Triston Casas’ future murky after he underwent surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon in his knee last month, Boston is open to long-term solutions at first base. Currently, journeymen Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez are sharing the position and power-hitter Blaze Jordan is at Triple-A. The Sox do not, however, have a surefire long-term plan at the position with Casas’ recovery expected to be an arduous one.

The Red Sox discussed Devers with multiple clubs before the trade went through Sunday night. According to sources, Boston also had talks with Atlanta, Toronto and San Diego but none of those clubs were as motivated to get something done as the Giants. On Tuesday, Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey said talks with Craig Breslow had been happening for a few weeks.

“It’s something has been in the works for three or four weeks,” said Posey. “(General manager) Zack (Minasian) had conversations with their group, then eventually, myself and Craig Breslow the last week to 10 days. It was good. Obviously, negotiations are going to go back and forth but I was texting with Craig today and we were just thanking each other for the candor and respect that went into this negotiation.”

With Eldridge not yet in the majors, the Giants will use Devers at first base some after he expressed his willingness to play wherever the team wanted him Tuesday.

“We see (Eldridge’s) development path as the same,” Posey said. “He’s going to keep (playing) first, keep developing at the plate. It’s a conversation Raffy and I have had already about Bryce and the future that we potentially see him having.”