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Red Sox Third Baseman Caleb Durbin Benched as Offensive Collapse Deepens

Durbin's sustained poor hitting puts pressure on Boston's offseason trades and front office choices.

Overview

  • Caleb Durbin has hit .169 with a 38 wRC+ and a .495 OPS through 44 games, ranking last among qualified MLB hitters and prompting repeated benchings.
  • The club sat Durbin for multiple games against right-handed starters and started Nick Sogard at third, and Durbin was left out of the lineup again on Wednesday after an RBI single in the previous game.
  • Durbin was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in an offseason multi-player trade that sent prospects including left-hander Kyle Harrison to Milwaukee, and Harrison's strong start with the Brewers has intensified criticism of the deal.
  • Boston's struggles extend beyond Durbin as Trevor Story went on the 10-day injured list with a sports hernia and starter Brayan Bello has a 7.16 ERA, leaving the team 21-27 and short on run production.
  • Fans and commentators are calling for a reset that could include sending Durbin to Triple-A for a reset or making other lineup changes, and the Red Sox's next moves on Durbin and roster construction will be closely watched.