The Red Sox didn’t wait for the first pitch of spring training to make waves-they dropped a six-player trade with the Brewers that could reshape their infield and set the tone for the season ahead.
Boston acquired infielders Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, and Anthony Seigler from Milwaukee, sending left-hander Kyle Harrison, infielder David Hamilton, and minor league pitcher Shane Drohan the other way. It’s a bold move, but one that checks a lot of boxes for a Red Sox team looking to retool without fully rebuilding.
Let’s start with Durbin, the headliner in this deal for Boston. He’s expected to step in at third base, replacing Alex Bregman, and he brings both upside and control-he’s under team control through 2031 and just entering his age-26 season. That’s the kind of long-term value teams covet, especially when the player’s already shown he can produce at the big-league level.
Durbin’s rookie season with the Brewers was no fluke. He slashed .256/.334/.387 across 136 games, chipped in 11 home runs and 18 stolen bases, and posted a solid 2.8 WAR.
He finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting and played a key role in Milwaukee’s NL Central title run. And when the lights got brighter in October, he didn’t blink-he put up a .777 OPS in the playoffs with eight hits and three steals in nine games.
That’s the kind of postseason poise that’s hard to teach.
Former MLB GM Jim Bowden praised the move, calling Durbin the best player in the deal and likening him to Brendan Donovan-a versatile, high-IQ player who plays above his tools. That’s a fair comp. Durbin may not have elite raw power or blazing speed, but he’s a winning player who brings energy, versatility, and a knack for making things happen.
Boston also adds Monasterio and Seigler, both of whom add depth and flexibility to the infield. Monasterio brings experience and a solid glove, while Seigler, a former first-round pick, gives the Red Sox another developmental piece with upside.
Of course, it’s not all gain-Boston did give up some real talent to make this work. Kyle Harrison, the young lefty they acquired from San Francisco in the Rafael Devers trade last summer, heads to Milwaukee.
He’s a high-upside arm with swing-and-miss stuff and could blossom into a middle-of-the-rotation starter or better. But the Red Sox are dealing from a position of strength here-they’ve built up enough pitching depth to absorb the loss.
David Hamilton, a speedy infielder, and Shane Drohan, a lefty still developing in the minors, round out the package going to the Brewers. Both are intriguing, but neither was projected as a cornerstone piece for Boston.
Bottom line: this is a calculated move by the Red Sox, one that shores up their infield with controllable talent while dealing from areas of depth. Durbin gives them a potential everyday third baseman with postseason experience and room to grow. If he continues on his current trajectory, this trade could be a win for Boston not just in 2026, but for years to come.
