Through 30 games, the Boston Red Sox sit in second place in the A.L. East with a 16-14 record. Although the Red Sox had high expectations entering the season, they’ve underperformed to start the year.
The Red Sox have been inconsistent to start the season. The offense hasn't brought runners home, wasting good outings from their pitchers. On the days the offense showed up, the pitching staff would have their bad game.
Since their embarrassing series loss to the Chicago White Sox, they’ve been better. The offense ranks ninth in runs scored this season, and their pitching ranks 16th in ERA.
With April baseball soon ending, let’s take a look at the best and worst performers for the Red Sox thus far.
Winner 1: Alex Bregman
When the Red Sox initially signed Alex Bregman, there were questions about whether he’d play second base or third base. This then led to the Rafael Devers not wanting to cede third base debacle, which ultimately ended with Devers being moved to designated hitter. In the middle of this chatter, Bregman stated that he’d be willing to play second base, showcasing the leader that the Red Sox desperately needed.
Since then, Bregman is proving to be the best Red Sox signing in years as he’s become an integral piece to the team. Bregman currently leads the Red Sox in home runs (5) with Trevor Story and in RBIs (37). His slash line is .319/.394/.543 and has 1.7 wins above replacement.
Red Sox fans can’t thank Bregman enough for his production thus far, as he’s kept the Red Sox afloat on days when they can’t get anything going. His best game to date was on April 15th against the Tampa Bay Rays, where he went five-for-five with two home runs and four RBIs to lead the Red Sox past the Rays, 7-4.
While his five errors at third base have been disappointing, he’s made up for them with his hitting. He’s the perfect veteran and leader this young Red Sox team needs to bring them back into the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Winner 2: Kristian Campbell
At the start of last season, Kristian Campbell was playing High-A minor league baseball for the Greenville Drive. He would go on to be promoted two more times, finishing the season with the Worcester Red Sox in Triple-A.
His play led him to being named to the Red Sox’s Opening Day roster and signing an eight-year extension with the team just one year later. Campbell’s stellar performance continued into the big leagues, making a huge impact on the team’s wins.
Campbell's slash line in 27 games is .305/.412/.474 with .8 wins above replacement and seven doubles. He made Red Sox history early by reaching safely in his first 17 games, becoming the second Red Sox player since George Scott to do so.
Campbell has been nothing but promising to start his career. Although he has three errors at second base, his play has locked him in as the starting second baseman for years to come.