The Boston Red Sox finally managed to “replace” Alex Bregman, although no one could really capture the production he provided. However, they did physically fill his spot this morning. They acquired Caleb Durbin from the Milwaukee Brewers for a package of three players. This is a semi-big move coming up on pitchers and catchers reporting to Fort Myers tomorrow.
Who Is Caleb Durbin?
Caleb Durbin was a rookie for Milwaukee last season, eventually finishing third in NL Rookie of the Year voting. He finished the year with a .256 batting average, which isn’t great, but he had a .334 OBP as well. He hit 11 homers and stole 18 bases this season. But more importantly, he’s a right-handed hitter. The Red Sox have been searching for a righty in this lineup that is majority left-handed. He’s 25 years old as well. This move helps Durbin hitting-wise, as if you look at his spray chart, he’s a pull hitter. The Green Monster is in left field in Fenway, and he had 25 doubles at American Family Field last season.
Defensively, he did pretty well for a rookie. Although he played mostly third base this season, his natural position is actually second base. Therefore, he can fill a David Hamilton/Romy Gonzalez utility-type role throughout the infield. Despite that, his fielding percentage at third base against the league average was higher than it was against the league average at second. Now, keep in mind that he nearly had 300 chances at third compared to 19 at second. But given that Marcelo Mayer could play third this year, Durbin could play second for a bit, too. In terms of DRS, he has five at third and -1 at second.
Who Did The Red Sox Give Up?
The Red Sox didn’t have to give up any major pieces, such as Jarren Duran, Payton Tolle, or Connelly Early. But for those hoping there would be any compensation for the Rafael Devers trade, the only player remaining is Jose Bello in Single-A. They gave up Kyle Harrison, Shane Drohan, and Hamilton. Harrison was a big piece of that Devers trade that took place last June, Hamilton was a versatile infielder whose speed was a major factor, and Shane Dorhan is a promising young pitcher who went 5-1 in Worcester last season.
Who Else Did Boston Acquire?
Durbin was the major player that Boston received, but he wasn’t the only player. Infielder Andruw Monasterio hit .270 in 68 games for the Brew Crew last season. He played both the infield and outfield, so he could be more of a plug-and-play utility man. Anthony Seigler is an infielder who debuted this past season. He only played 34 games, but showed some promise on the fielding end, particularly at second base. Only allowing two errors in 129 innings. Both of these players will most likely be stashed in Worcester or Portland, although it will be interesting to see if they make it to Spring Training. Finally, Boston gets a competitive balance Round B pick as well.
How Does Durbin Fit For Boston?
This trade works out for Boston, but it seems like a backup option for Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Not in the sense of who’s better, but the fact that Kiner-Falefa’s contract only extends to this season. Meanwhile, Durbin’s contract runs through 2032. This is definitely a long-term trade. The one issue is that Durbin is 5’7″. If Durbin gets the start at third on Opening Day, it would make the smallest player to start there for Boston since Grady Hatton (5’8”) in 1954 and 1955. They could put him at second and play Mayer, but time will tell what the Red Sox will do.
Main Photo Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
