Red Sox Plan To Utilize Platoon At Third Base For The Near Future
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The Boston Red Sox have not gotten the version of Caleb Durbin this season that the third baseman displayed in his rookie year.
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The Red Sox traded for the 26-year-old infielder after a stellar rookie campaign in which he was a finalist for the National League Rookie of the Year award, but across his first 43 games in Boston, Durbin is slashing .165/.247/.245 with one home run and 14 runs batted in.
Nobody could have expected that Durbin would face such a sharp regression in his sophomore season, but as his struggles continue at the plate, the Red Sox are being forced to explore other options.
Boston called up Triple-A infielder Nick Sogard recently, who has gotten the last couple of starts at third base. Sogard has performed well at the plate so far, recording a hit in each of his two starts, including an RBI double on Sunday.
Interim manager Chad Tracy highlighted that the Red Sox plan to utilize both Sogard and Durbin moving forward for the near future, and the importance of giving the struggling infielder a few days to rest and get back on track.
“I think for now we’re doing everything we can to make sure we get some offense out there,” Tracy said on Monday, per MassLive's Christopher Smith. “I know Durb’s been struggling, but Sogie took two really good at-bats yesterday in Atlanta. So just trying to get quality in there and see. It doesn’t mean Durb’s not going to play. Just for right now, we’re going to do that right now.
“I don’t think it means it’s a permanent Sogie’s taking over at third. I think you’ll still see Durbin. I just think that on given days, if we see a matchup we like and Sogie’s part of it, we’ll use him. But we’re searching for runs, trying to get runs. It’s not a secret that he’s going through it. So I think in the midst of trying to get Sogie in there and getting him involved, also giving (Durbin) just a couple days to take a break is important too.”
Though there are high expectations for Durbin after his impressive rookie season, the Red Sox need consistent production in their lineup. The 26-year-old needs to step up and prove himself moving forward.
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