Caleb Durbin vows to ‘put in the work’ following rough start with Red Sox

The Red Sox are off to a slow start offensively, struggling from the top of the lineup down to the No. 9 spot.

The lone exception has been Wilyer Abreu, who is 8-for-16 (.500) through four games with two home runs, three doubles, five RBIs, two runs, and just two strikeouts.

One newcomer who has looked overmatched early is Caleb Durbin, whom Boston acquired after losing Alex Bregman to the Cubs in free agency.

The Red Sox completed a six-player deal with the Brewers in early February, sending left-handers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan, along with infielder David Hamilton, to Milwaukee in exchange for infielders Andruw Monasterio, Anthony Seigler, Durbin, and a Competitive Balance Round B draft pick.

Coincidentally, Harrison made his Brewers debut Monday night and was sharp over five innings, allowing just one run on four hits while walking one and striking out eight. He threw 64 of his 87 pitches for strikes.

His eight strikeouts were his most in a game since July 26, 2024, when he was with the Giants.

Durbin, on the other hand, has been an automatic out, hitting in the No. 5 or No. 6 spot. He went 0-for-2 on Monday, including grounding into a 6-4-3 double play to end the fifth inning.

Through four games, he’s 0-for-14 with one walk and three strikeouts.

“Right now, I think it’s just trying to get the ball in the air a little bit more,” Durbin said. “It’s just trying to fine-tune, make those adjustments to give yourself the most chances. That’s for me, what it kind of comes down to right now — is just trying to give myself those chances to find some green.”

Alex Cora lifted Durbin for a pinch hitter Monday night, sending Masataka Yoshida to the plate with two runners in scoring position and one out.

“In that situation, I’m not gonna go to the hotel with Masa on the bench, right?” Cora said. “I mean, we’re gonna use the roster, maximize it. And it was a big situation for us and I felt the matchup was really good for us.”

Yoshida would strike out against Lance McCullers Jr., who generated 17 whiffs, allowing just four hits and one run while striking out nine in his season debut.

“I mean, Masa rakes, so excited for him to get the opportunity there,” Durbin said. “You always want those at-bats but I definitely understand it.”

Will Durbin be this bad all season? Probably not. He’ll adjust, pick up his first hit, and eventually settle in at the hot corner. 

The infielder thought his approach on Monday night was better than his previous three games for Boston. 

“Command of the zone much better,” Durbin said. “Just a few tweaks with the swing, but seeing the ball good. Definitely not lost up there by any means. It’s just have to make the adjustment and figure it out.”

Cora also thought Durbin's approach looked better in the loss to Houston. 

“Today was better,” Cora said. “He swung at strikes. He didn’t chase like in Cincinnati. So you’ve just gotta keep working. Talked to him a little bit. He’s working hard. That’s the reality of it. He hasn’t had results. But today I think he was able to slow it down.”

Durbin, who finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting, is coming off a season in which he hit .256/.334/.387 while primarily playing second and third base for the Brewers. The Red Sox value his ability to pull the ball in the air, a skill that should translate well with the Green Monster in left field.

“We really like a lot of what Caleb brings to the table: strong defender, strong bat-to-ball skills,” Craig Breslow said at the time of the trade. 

Despite the early results for Boston, the 5-foot-7 infielder offers good strike zone awareness and a solid bat. He’ll need to look past the added pressure of replacing Bregman not only at third base and as the other right-handed bat acquired this winter alongside Willson Contreras.

The Red Sox’ new first baseman has also gotten off to a cold start, recording just one hit in his first 13 at-bats with five strikeouts and four walks. Still, there’s far less concern with Contreras. He’s a proven slugger, coming off a 20-homer season in 2025 and reaching that mark six times in his career, a track record that suggests he’ll find his rhythm sooner rather than later.

Jarren Duran has stumbled out of the gate, including getting picked off at first base over the weekend in Cincinnati. He has just two hits hitting out of the No. 3 spot but has added two stolen bases.

When the Red Sox opened last season, Rafael Devers endured a brutal slump, going 0-for-19 with 15 strikeouts through his first five games. He eventually settled in, finishing with 35 home runs and 109 RBIs between Boston and San Francisco.

To be clear, Durbin is not that type of hitter, but the point remains that early struggles don’t define a season. He’ll start to find his way at the plate. Durbin had 10 hits in 38 at-bats (.263) in April with Milwaukee last year before heating up in June (.296) and July (.283).

“It’s more of wanting to come off on a hot start team-wise because that’s what it’s about at the end of the day and you want to put yourself in the best position to help the team,” Durbin told reporters following the game. “But again, it’s super early. I don’t even think it’s April yet. I’ve lost track of days, but super early. And for me, it’s just work harder. Like keep working, keep working. .. So we’ll get this thing figured out.”

Red Sox fans want instant results and given the cost of Fenway tickets, concessions, and high expectations coming off a year that saw the young club clinch a postseason berth for the first time since 2021. But with Durbin, patience may be required as he settles in with his new club. 

“Baseball is one of those sports where it’s all about feel,” Durbin said. “When you’re in rhythm and your feel is right, you’re going to be hot. It’s about getting back to that and working through it. You’ve got to put in the work to get those feels back.”

Durbin will hit eventually, but he wasn’t the right-handed bat Boston truly needed this winter. Four games in, yes, it’s early, but the flaws in Breslow’s roster construction are already starting to show.