Red Sox send Kristian Campbell down to Triple-A Worcester
The Boston Red Sox have sent struggling second baseman Kristian Campbell to Triple-A Worcester.
ESPN's Jeff Passan was first to report Campbell's demotion on Thursday, with the Red Sox officially announcing the move Friday ahead of a three-game series against the Giants in San Francisco. Outfielder Wilyer Abreu was activated from the Injured List to take Campbell's spot on the roster.
Campbell broke Spring Training as Boston's starting second baseman after an impressive camp, and the 22-year-old rookie got off to a hot start at the plate when he slashed .301/.407/.495 with four homers, eight doubles, 12 RBI, and 18 runs scored over his first 29 games.
Campbell was the Rookie of the Month after his hot March and April, and was signed to an eight-year, $60 million contract less than a week after he began his Major League career.
But he's gone ice cold since that scorching start, with Campbell hitting just .159 -- going 20-for-140 -- with a .243 on-base percentage since May 1. He's struck 40 strikeouts to just 10 walks over his last 38 games.
The Red Sox have put a lot on the rookie's plate, with manager Alex Cora still batting him as high as fourth in the lineup despite Campbell's struggles. He had recently dropped to the bottom third of the lineup.
And while Campbell started 54 games at second base, he was also moving around the field as he navigated his rookie season. He made seven starts in center field (including Wednesday's finale in Seattle) and two appearances in left. He also started doing some work at first base after the injury to Triston Casas, before the Red Sox pulled the plug on the experiment.
In his 59 overall appearances at second, Campbell made seven errors to lead the team.
The Red Sox are now hoping a little time in the minors will help Campbell regain his confidence at the plate and in the field. A fourth-round pick by Boston in 2023 out of Georgia Tech, Campbell played just 19 of his 138 minor league games at the Triple-A.
Who will play second base for Red Sox?
While Campbell tries to get right in the minors, the Red Sox will rely on David Hamilton and Romy Gonzalez to man second base. Hamilton is hitting just .172 in his 99 plate appearances, while Gonzalez is slashing .308/.473/.819 in his 28 games played. Gonzalez has seen action at first, second, and third base for Boston this season.
Things could get interesting in the infield when Alex Bregman returns to third. When that happens, there's a good chance rookie Marcelo Mayer (.220/.277/.475 with four homers and six RBI) slides over to second, or he could potentially play shortstop with Trevor Story making the move to second.
