Red Sox Might Have Already Soft-Launched Third Base Change

The Boston Red Sox have the worst qualified hitter in Major League Baseball on their roster, and they may have found a viable replacement.

For the last two games, Triple-A call-up Nick Sogard has started at third base over Caleb Durbin, whose .492 OPS is down over 200 points from his strong rookie season with the Milwaukee Brewers. After doubling on Sunday, Sogard went 1-for-3 with a walk on Monday, while making a spectacular diving catch of a line drive on defense.

Sogard starting back-to-back games wasn't something to gloss over. The Red Sox are telling Durbin that regardless of how high the expectations were for him when he was acquired in a February trade, his spot isn't guaranteed moving forward.

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Is third base now an open competition?

Sep 7, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Boston Red Sox pinch hitter Nick Sogard hits a two run double in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Before Monday's game against the Kansas City Royals, interim manager Chad Tracy weighed in on the question of Sogard vs. Durbin, knowing he'd just put the latter on the bench in consecutive games for the first time all season.

“I don’t think it means it’s a permanent Sogie’s taking over at third,” Tracy said, per Christopher Smith of MassLive. “I think you’ll still see Durbin. I just think that on given days, if we see a matchup we like and Sogie’s part of it, we’ll use him. But we’re searching for runs, trying to get runs.”

Sogard would be the strong side of a platoon between the two, so Durbin seemingly has to re-establish firmly that he's the better player, which will require a big step forward in a short window.

Durbin talks struggles

Is the weight of the preseason expectations that come with being the centerpiece of a trade weighing on Durbin? It would be hard to argue against that idea based on the 26-year-old's Monday quote.

“It’s tougher honestly away from the field and pre-work. It’s all I think about,” Durbin said, per Smith. “This is our life. For me, like I know what I’m capable of. And like coming into the year, I had really high expectations.

The spectre of a demotion to Triple-A hanging over his head, Durbin knows it's time to get the offense rolling. Sogard's consistency might not match Durbin's dynamic potential on the latter's best day, but we really haven't seen that best day yet this year.

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