The Red Sox acquired 2025 Rookie of the Year candidate Durbin from the Brewers in a six-player trade.

Just before the start of spring training, the Red Sox furthered their infield overhaul. Baseball operations chief Craig Breslow secured 2025 National League Rookie of the Year candidate Caleb Durbin through a six-player trade, while Boston also gained a Competitive Balance Round B pick in the 2026 draft.

Trade Details

Red Sox received: Infielders Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, Anthony Seigler, and a Competitive Balance Round B draft pick.

Brewers received: Left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison, infielder David Hamilton, and left-handed pitching prospect Shane Drohan.

Besides Durbin, Boston also acquired infielders Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler, along with a Competitive Balance Round B draft pick. The 25-year-old Durbin primarily played third base in 2025, also covering second base and shortstop, posting a .256/.334/.387 batting line.

"We highly value the qualities Caleb brings: solid defense and excellent hitting skills," Breslow said. "He is a versatile right-handed batter. Considering his tendency to pull the ball in the air—he had about a 20% pulled fly ball rate last year—I believe he fits our ballpark well. His ability to cover multiple positions is a bonus, and given his age and control years, we believe his prime is still ahead. We're excited to have him on board."

The key theme for the Red Sox infield in 2026 will be "versatility." While veteran shortstop Trevor Story and newly acquired veteran first baseman Willson Contreras will hold steady roles in the lineup and defense, second and third base are expected to see significant rotation.

Durbin is expected to be a crucial piece of this puzzle, likely serving as the team's primary third baseman. This may open opportunities for Marcelo Mayer to rise in the second base depth chart. Durbin can also play second base, and Mayer performed well at third base last year.

Additionally, veteran Isiah Kiner-Falefa (one-year contract, pending physical) can serve as a super utility player, filling in wherever needed. He is expected to be the main backup to Story at shortstop.

Although Romy Gonzalez is sidelined with a left shoulder injury (recently receiving platelet-rich plasma injections), he is another versatile infielder adept at handling left-handed pitching.

Following the trade, manager Alex Cora spoke hours later, stating that team leadership would meet later that day to clarify player roles.

"I think stability is very important," Cora said. "I understand the value of versatility, but having the second baseman and shortstop play together as much as possible is crucial. So, who will be at second base? Who will be at third? We don’t know yet. But from my side, I’m not saying 100% of the games; we will try to maintain stability as much as possible."

Today's trade is another recent move by Breslow following Alex Bregman's free-agent signing with the Cubs last month. At that time, Breslow opted to bolster defense by acquiring reliable No. 2 starter Ranger Suárez, along with defensively above-average players like Kiner-Falefa and Durbin.

"We have a great baseball team," Cora said. "Credit has to go to management. That Sunday in Boston (when Bregman signed with the Cubs) felt like everything was falling apart, like we lost direction, but they did an excellent job signing Suárez, and we kept working, working, and working."

By acquiring Durbin, the Red Sox added a compact player (5’7”, approximately 1.70m) who made a notable impact on the 2025 NL Central champion Brewers. He combines good strike zone recognition with solid hitting skills. In 445 plate appearances, Durbin showcased speed (18 stolen bases) and some power (11 home runs, 25 doubles), contributing a 2.8 bWAR.

"I think he proved last year that he can be a very good everyday major league player," Breslow said. "He excelled in many areas. Considering our team's shortcomings last year in hitting the ball in play, not expanding the strike zone, and handling fastballs, these are exactly his strengths. We also believe he is an excellent defender."

The most notable player heading to Milwaukee in this deal is Harrison, a former top left-handed starting pitching prospect, who was perhaps the key piece in last June's blockbuster trade that sent star slugger Rafael Devers to the Giants.

However, the Red Sox now suddenly have a deep and controlled young starting pitching staff, making it unlikely Harrison will make the Opening Day roster. Since his MLB debut in 2023, the left-hander has appeared in 42 games (37 starts) with a 4.39 ERA.

The 26-year-old Seigler represents an organizational depth addition. In his first major league season in 2025, he played 34 games for the Brewers. This left-handed switch hitter started 16 games at third base and one as designated hitter. Seigler can catch and play infield in a right-handed throwing manner, and also throw left-handed from left field.