The Boston Red Sox are in a tricky situation. After falling 4-2 to the Atlanta Braves on Friday night, the Red Sox are 22-24 and look like the team that barely finished .500 last season. They also have a hole at first base created by Triston Casas’s season-ending knee injury and plenty of off-field drama that hasn’t helped their performance.
Simply put, the Red Sox need reinforcements and could look to the minors for help. In the case of one prospect, his path to the majors may have just gotten clearer thanks to a short-term move that could pay large dividends.
Krisitian Campbell’s Potential Move to First Base Could Help Marcelo Mayer Join the Red Sox
The Red Sox made news when Kristian Campbell took grounders at first base before Friday’s game against the Braves. Campbell has played at second base, left field, and center field since making the Opening Day roster, but a move to first base would keep his bat in the lineup and allow shortstop Marcelo Mayer to make his debut in Boston.
Mayer is one of Boston’s “Big Three” prospects, which includes Campbell and outfielder Roman Anthony. The No. 8 prospect in the Majors according to MLB Pipeline, Mayer has had a strong start at Triple-A Worcester, slashing .268/.343/.477 with eight home runs and 39 RBI in 38 games. It comes off the heels of a strong Spring Training performance where he hit .333/.455/.528 with a home run and 11 RBI in 20 Grapefruit League games.
In other words, the 22-year-old looks ready to head to the Show.
The problem is that the Red Sox currently don’t have a spot for Mayer. Trevor Story is currently starting at shortstop for Boston, and his .122 batting average over the past 20 games sounds like something that would be cause for a demotion. But he’s in the fourth year of a six-year, $140 million contract and will likely decline his player opt-out so he can earn $25 million next season.
Unless the Red Sox find a way to dump Story’s contract, they’ll have to get creative to get Mayer on the roster. That’s where Campbell’s move to first base could give them a hand.
Campbell has already established himself as a major leaguer, hitting .240/.329/.397 with five homers and 15 RBI in his first 39 games. He also knows that his best path to playing time is by making himself available to play anywhere on the field. A move to first base would be a challenge, but it would free up second base for Mayer, allowing the Red Sox to have two of their top prospects at the big-league level.
It’s not a given that Campbell will stick at first, but the Red Sox have to try something. If the experiment succeeds, we could see Mayer in the majors sooner rather than later, and potentially provide a boost that will get Boston out of its funk.
