Caleb Durbin stays hot as Red Sox capitalize on Yankees' mistakes in series opening victory

After an eventful trip home from Denver that was delayed by mechanical issues with the team plane, the Red Sox finally arrived in Boston early Thursday morning and wasted little time getting back to work, opening a four-game series against the rival Yankees at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox returned to home after a 3-3 West Coast road trip that ended with a disappointing series loss to the last-place Rockies. Sitting at the bottom of the American League East, Boston faced another tough challenge Thursday night in Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler, who entered the game in the midst of a breakout 2026 season.

Instead of being overpowered, the Red Sox broke through in a chaotic fifth inning, scoring four runs with plenty of help from New York’s defense. Three Yankees errors in the frame opened the door for Boston, which took advantage on its way to a 6-3 victory in the series opener.

Caleb Durbin, who exited Wednesday’s game in Colorado with a dislocated pinky finger, returned to the lineup and delivered the biggest swing of the night. His go-ahead two-run homer capped the decisive rally and continued what has been a remarkable turnaround at the plate.

Over his last 24 games, Durbin has slashed .329 with five home runs, one triple, eight doubles, 16 RBIs and a .976 OPS. Just a month ago, there was legitimate debate over whether the he should be sent to Triple-A Worcester to rediscover his swing. Now, he’s become one of the hottest hitters in Boston’s lineup and an increasingly important piece of the offense.

“Pretty proud of him for where he was at,” Chad Tracy said after the game. “With the expectations and the heat he was taking, he has just fought back and got up off the mat.”

Durbin entered Thursday riding one of the hottest stretches of his young career after going 10-for-19 on the road trip through Seattle and Denver with a home run and three doubles. But when he dove headfirst into first base during Wednesday’s series finale against the Rockies and dislocated his pinky finger, there was legitimate concern his surge would be put on hold by a trip to the injured list.

In the second inning, Durbin was credited with a single after sawing off a pitch from Schlittler that fell safely between the mound and home plate as the Yankees failed to make the play. Two innings later, with the game tied 2-2 after Boston capitalized on an error and a sacrifice fly, Durbin got a 3-2 cutter over the heart of the plate and made New York pay.

His towering drive barely cleared the Green Monster for a go-ahead two-run homer, giving the Red Sox a 4-2 lead and capping another impressive night from one of the club’s hottest hitters.

“I would say (Schlittler) has had our number or my number, but he’s had just about everyone’s number,” Durbin said. “He has been really good. That’s where you just try to simplify and get him in the zone. I was fortunate to get a good pitch I saw well.”

Durbin appears to have dodged a major setback with his pinky injury, and his bat played a pivotal role in helping the Red Sox secure a much-needed win at Fenway Park.

His recent turnaround hasn’t happened by accident, either. Behind the scenes, Durbin has been putting in extra work and seeking outside input, including sessions with private hitting instructor Lorenzo Garmendia of Gradum. The adjustments are paying off, as he has transformed himself from a struggling hitter into one of Boston’s most productive offensive threats over the past month.

“To be honest, I’m really proud of the way I went through it,” Durbin said of working on getting out of his slump to start the season. “I think defensively, that’s how it shows. I never faltered defensively. Obviously, it’s hard because this is a really hard game. I was able to keep it in perspective knowing I’d get to this point. There’s still a lot of ball left and stretches I’m probably going to struggle again. It was really tough, but I think I handled it the best I could have.”