The third base position has become a constant source of discussion for the Boston Red Sox since they signed Alex Bregman in the 2024-25 offseason. That sparked a debate about where to play Bregman and Rafael Devers, which sparked the Devers trade, all for the Red Sox to lose Bregman in free agency after one season.
In his place, Craig Breslow and the Red Sox turned to Caleb Durbin, landing him in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. Now, that trade looks like a disaster.
There has been some good that’s come with Durbin. His defense has been very good at the hot corner, with Fangraphs having him in the 85th percentile for fielding run value. However, his offense became a major issue immediately, and it hasn’t gotten better. His batting run value is in the 2nd percentile for all of MLB, and his .491 OPS is the worst among qualified hitters.
Durbin has heard booing from fans at Fenway Park. Of course, he knows he hasn’t been good enough.
“I care about these guys so much and that’s the tough part,” Durbin said, per MassLive. “Coming over here, first year here, obviously you want to make a good impression and you want to come through for the guys. I haven’t played to my capabilities, but it’s not for a lack of effort and they know that.”
Durbin is far from the only Red Sox hitter struggling this season. Their offense has proven to be a major Achilles Heel across the board. However, it still hurts to not contribute.
“Worst thing that you can go through is you feel like you’re not contributing,” Durbin said. “So for me, it’s like, lose the ego and just work through it and grind it out.”
This season, Durbin has 23 hits in 139 at-bats, for a .165 batting average. He only has 1 home run, which came off a position player, to go along with 14 RBIs, 14 runs scored, and 4 stolen bases. On top of that, Durbin has a .247 OBP, .245 slugging percentage, and .491 OPS.
“It’s tougher honestly away from the field and pre-work. It’s all I think about,” Durbin said. “This is our life. For me, like I know what I’m capable of. And like coming into the year, I had really high expectations. Obviously as a team we did and still a lot of ball left, but obviously the games we’ve played up to this point matter a lot, too. Every game matters. So it’s kind of where we’re at.”
The Boston Red Sox Could Consider Sending Caleb Durbin to Triple-A
GettyBoston Red Sox 3B Caleb Durbin
As it stands, Caleb Durbin does still have two minor league options. That potential now hangs over his head, where the Boston Red Sox could send him to the Worcester Red Sox to work through some of his issues. However, Durbin believes he can figure it out at this level.
“I’m not where I want to be (offensively), and the tough part is I don’t think it’s because I’m getting sped up because of the competition,” Durbin said. “I’ve felt good at this level. At the same time, it’s like you do feel bad that you’re not helping the team the way you feel like you should.”
If there is one major difference between this year with the Red Sox and 2025 with the Brewers, it’s that Durbin isn’t hitting to all fields. He’s trying to pull the ball more than he probably should in Boston, which leads to struggling for him and pressing at the plate.
“Trying to loosen up a little bit in the box, trying to release some tension,” he said. “Whether it’s physical tension or just pressing to try to get those results. I don’t think I’m pressing. I feel like I’m controlling the zone well still and not swinging out of my shoes, trying to do too much.”
Red Sox Manager Chad Tracy on Benching Caleb Durbin
GettyBoston Red Sox manager Chad Tracy
Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy sat Caleb Durbin down for two games in a row, including a 3-1 win on Monday. It’s a decision that comes as the Red Sox need to find a spark to their offense.
“We’re doing everything we can to make sure we get some offense out there,” Tracy said. “I don’t think it means it’s permanent Sogard is taking over at third. You’ll still see Durbin, I just think that on given days, if we see a matchup we like, and Sogey is part of it, we’ll use him. We’re searching for runs.”
Ultimately, it’s two games in a long season, but Caleb Durbin is going to need to find a way to work his way back into the lineup. That means putting in the work, be it in the major leagues or the minors.
“It’s a bad start, but it’s a long year and you’ve gotta try to find the reason why. Why are the results not where you think they should be, where they’ve been in the past?” Durbin said. “So it’s a daily grind to grind through it. And that’s the thing is you gotta keep a good attitude. As hard as it is sometimes, you’ve gotta accept it for what it is and just keep moving ahead and looking forward.”
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