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After losing out on Alex Bregman to the Chicago Cubs, the Boston Red Sox got to work in the trade market Monday morning, acquiring third baseman Caleb Durbin in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers.
A rookie in 2025, Durbin put up a modest slash line of .256/.334/.387 to go along with 11 homers and a 101 OPS+. While not an offensive juggernaut, he proved to possess a productive glove at third base, accumulating two Outs Above Average and five Defensive Runs Saved. In addition to third, Durbin also spent some time at second, appearing there in 43 innings and putting up -1 DRS and -1 OAA. While not eye-popping numbers, it does give Durbin some flexibility within the Red Sox infield.Â
Acquiring Caleb Durbin makes plenty of sense for Boston Red Sox
A move for a productive glove with offensive upside makes a lot of sense for Boston, especially after Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow named run prevention as the Red Sox’s new identity heading into 2026.
In exchange for Durbin, the Red Sox dealt infielder David Hamilton and pitchers Shane Drohan and Kyle Harrison. Boston also acquired a Competitive Balance Round B pick and two infielders, Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler. While Seigler is more of a filler for Boston, Monasterio could prove to be a solid depth piece for the club, as he hit for a 109 OPS+ in 68 games in 2025.
For Boston, this is a deal the club had to make. In addition to his defensive abilities, Durbin is just 25 and has the offensive potential to be a dependable middle-of-the-order bat with some power.Â
While some may be left underwhelmed by this replacement for Bregman, Durbin is a young, cheap and controllable piece who finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting, giving him the potential to quickly become a stalwart of Boston’s infield for seasons to come.Â
