Red Sox Trade Pitching Depth for Infield Reinforcements

The Boston Red Sox have made another significant move to strengthen their infield by acquiring third baseman Caleb Durbin, infielder Andruw Monasterio, and catcher/infielder Anthony Seigler from the Milwaukee Brewers. This trade occurred on Monday, just before the official reporting date for pitchers and catchers.

In return for the three players, the Red Sox sent left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison, infielder David Hamilton, and left-handed pitcher Shane Drohan to the Brewers. The Red Sox also received a competitive balance B round pick in the transaction.

Durbin, who debuted last season, offers a right-handed bat and significant defensive versatility. He finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting and is under team control through 2031. Although he had minor elbow surgery in October, he is expected to be ready for spring training.

The Red Sox's strategy involved trading from their pitching depth, a move consistent with their offseason acquisitions of starters Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo. Harrison, the last remaining player from the Rafael Devers trade last summer, was not projected for an immediate rotation spot and was likely headed to Triple-A Worcester. Drohan, ranked No. 20 by Keith Law, also represented backend starting depth.

Hamilton, a valuable defensive infielder with speed, became more expendable due to the Red Sox's recent additions, including former Gold Glovers Isaiah Kiner-Falefa and Brendan Rodgers, as well as infielder Tsung-Che Cheng. Monasterio and Siegler are expected to begin the season at Triple-A.

This series of moves underscores the Red Sox's commitment to upgrading their infield defense, a priority throughout the offseason. With these additions, the Red Sox are likely to move forward with Durbin potentially at third base, Trevor Story at shortstop, and Willson Contreras at first base, while Marcelo Mayer is a strong candidate for second base.