MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – OCTOBER 11: Caleb Durbin #21 of the Milwaukee Brewers makes a throw to first base against the Chicago Cubs during Game Five of the National League Division Series at American Family Field on October 11, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The Boston Red Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers completed a massive trade on Monday, just days before the start of Spring Training. Here are the details: 

Red Sox receive: INF Caleb Durbin, INF Andruw Monasterio, INF Anthony Seigler, Competitive Balance Round B Draft pick

Brewers receive: LHP Kyle Harrison, INF David Hamilton, LHP prospect Shane Drohan

Caleb Durbin is Boston’s New Infielder

In this deal, the Boston Red Sox acquired three versatile infielders in Durbin, Monasterio, and Seigler while departing from starting pitcher Kyle Harrison (acquired in the Rafael Devers trade), utility infielder David Hamilton, and pitching prospect Shane Drohan. However, the main piece of this trade for the Red Sox is the acquisition of Caleb Durbin.

“Caleb Durbin is the best player in this trade.” – Former MLB GM Jim Bowden

Durbin, 25, is the centerpiece of this trade. In 2025, Durbin hit .256/.334/.387 and finished third place in National League Rookie of the Year Voting. Despite posting average production at the plate in his first full MLB season (101 OPS+), he possesses several characteristics the Red Sox lineup desperately needs. Boston’s lineup has a lot of swing and miss. In fact, before the acquisition of Durbin, Boston had only one hitter in their lineup who finished 2025 above the 50th percentile in whiff% (Wilyer Abreu, 52%). The same goes with K%, where Ceddane Rafaela was the only Red Sox batter to rank above the 50th percentile in K% at 56%. No Red Sox hitter had a chase rate above the 50th percentile. As a rookie, Durbin ranked in the 72nd percentile in Chase%, 96% in Whiff%, and 98th in K%. The narrative all offseason was the importance of Boston adding power to its lineup, but the need to add players with good bat-to-ball skills was equally important. Another interesting note is Durbin’s 20.4% Pull Air Rate in 2025, which ranks in the 83rd percentile, something that should translate well to Fenway Park. No right-handed hitter in the Red Sox Lineup posted a higher pull air% in 2025. Perhaps Fenway Park’s iconic Green Monster can help Durbin produce additional offense. 

From a defensive standpoint, the Boston Red Sox needed to improve significantly in 2026; last year, they led the league in errors. Durbin posted five defensive runs saved at third base (1,060.2 innings) and -1 in 43.1 innings at second base. 

Final Thoughts

It was no secret that the Boston Red Sox were seeking a right-handed, infield bat to replace Alex Bregman. Names like Isaac Parades, Eugenio Suarez, Nico Hoerner, and Matt Shaw had been thrown around, but in the end, Caleb Durbin is Boston’s man. Some Red Sox fans were hoping to add Eugenio Suarez or Isaac Paredes, as both hitters have a track record of being middle-of-the-order hitters due to their home run power. However, neither Suarez nor Parades was a plus defender at third base in 2025. Nico Hoerner is perhaps the best defensive infielder in baseball, but the 29-year-old is a Free Agent at the end of 2026, while Matt Shaw was one of the game’s top prospects a year ago. In the end, Boston added the most cost-effective, controllable option in Caleb Durbin, and that’s a good thing. 

The graph above tells us that Caleb Durbin’s overall game, youth and team control makes a bargain acquisition for the Boston Red Sox. Is Caleb Durbin the impact bat the Red Sox sought to acquire at the start of the offseason? No. But he checks a lot of boxes and helps improve this team in several areas. The 2026 Boston Red Sox are a better team with Caleb Durbin on the roster. Paredes, Shaw and Hoerner would have cost at least Bello, Duran or maybe even Early and Tolle. The Red Sox acquiring Durbin for Harrison, whose path to the big leagues was blocked by the Red Sox outstanding pitching depth, is a win for the Red Sox. In a vacuum, this trade is an A+ and a massive success for Craig Breslow and the Red Sox Front Office.

More thoughts to come.