Kristian Campbell Finally Says What Red Sox Fans Were Waiting to Hear

Is the bat going to break out this year?

May 16, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Kristian Campbell (28) warms up before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Kristian Campbell's last year and a half has been a whirlwind of epic proportions, and heading into this season, Boston Red Sox fans aren't quite sure what to expect.

It's highly improbable that Campbell will be on the opening day roster, as the Red Sox have been playing him in the outfield all spring and the depth chart is far too stacked there for him to break through. But the main thing the Red Sox have been watching with Campbell has been the bat.

After an offseason of swing changes and bulking up, Campbell broke through with a pull-side home run against future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers on Friday. Better yet, the 23-year-old hinted after the game that better days were ahead.

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Campbell "starting to feel comfortable"

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

In a somewhat self-deprecating way, Campbell discussed his swing after the loss to the Tigers, and said he was glad to see some results after eight months of hard work away from the majors.

“I’m starting to feel comfortable and putting good at-bats together,” said Campbell, per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. “It’s just good to finally see some production. Finally, something out of the infield.”

Entering play on Saturday, Campbell was 4-for-19 in spring training action, and his home run against Verlander was his first. He's faced a lot of quality pitching, having seen Team Puerto Rico's best arms and the New York Yankees' Luis Gil on back-to-back days earlier this week.

The hype train around Campbell at this time last season was moving at top speed, and it was pretty much all due to his bat. The talents are all still in there, and we saw him dominate major league pitching for a month before the league caught onto his flaws and exploited them.

The more we see Campbell pull the ball in the air, the more confident we can be that eventually, the Red Sox will give him a chance this season -- and that he can make the most of that opportunity.