Red Sox Face Critical Decision Regarding Kristian Campbell's Future

The Boston Red Sox have one of the more confusing situations revolving around a young player in all of baseball these days.

He was out of sight, out of mind for the entire second half of the season, but Kristian Campbell's presence played a huge role in the Red Sox's decision-making this year. Deciding to play him at second base started the chain reaction that led to Rafael Devers' anger with the club, and his slump after landing a $60 million extension created lingering questions about his long-term outlook

This offseason, the Red Sox need to address as many of those questions as possible, and it starts with picking a lane and sticking to it.

Campbell needs a clear path to playing time

Jun 9, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Kristian Campbell (28) hits a RBI against the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow was asked about Campbell in the end-of-season press conference on Monday, and while he expressed his confidence in the 23-year-old, he also said something that stuck out as a red flag in terms of how the Red Sox are managing his development.

"Stopping short of a role, I think Kristian learned a lot about himself. We learned a lot about him,” said Breslow, per Ian Browne of MLB.com. “He's a tireless worker.

"I’ve got a ton of confidence, both in the work he's going to commit to this offseason and what he's going to mean for this organization. I don't think it makes a ton of sense to try to pin him to a role outside of saying he's going to feel the support of the entire organization. And we know what he’s capable of.”

Campbell's bat should eventually round into form at the major league level, even if he doesn't wind up becoming a true middle-of-the-order guy. But the bigger concern is defensive position, as the Red Sox tried him basically everywhere this year (second base, first base, and all three outfield spots), and saw results that varied from lukewarm to disastrous.

To be honest, we learned that Campbell isn't a second baseman this year. You can determine that based on metrics (negative-16 defensive runs saved, negative-8 outs above average), or just use your eyes and look at some of the very basic blunders he made on routine ground balls.

Grisham reaches on a Kristian Campbell error pic.twitter.com/34cnxH8wUp
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 15, 2025

Campbell's future should be in the outfield, as there's not much value in his athleticism if he's stuck playing first. And that creates a larger problem, as the Red Sox already have at least one too many outfielders heading into the offseason.

But seeing as the Red Sox invested in Campbell, there needs to be a substantial role carved out for him heading into the season. And that only increases the urgency to clear up the logjam with a major trade.

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