The Boston Red Sox have been trying whatever they can to get out of their slump and back into the win column more frequently amid a four-game losing streak ahead of Wednesday's series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Alex Bregman injury finally forced Alex Cora's hand into calling up top prospect Marcelo Mayer, a decision that should've been made earlier in the season. So far, Mayer has provided the Red Sox with an offensive boost towards the middle of the order, going 5-of-15 (.333) at the plate to begin his career.
As great as Mayer has been, his presence hasn't solved Boston's biggest issue: the hole at first base.
Since starting 1B Triston Casas went down with a season-ending knee injury on May 2nd, the Red Sox have been looking for answers to fill his void. Romy Gonzalez (currently injured), Abraham Toro, and Nick Sogard have all been sharing time at first as the team looks for a long-term answer while Casas is out.
Staying away from the free agent and trade market, the Red Sox have been experimenting with their rookie Kristian Campbell at first base in practice, hoping to find their answer at the position, at least for this season.
Kristian Campbell to Play First Base in Weekend Series Against Braves
After a new development came from manager Alex Cora in recent days, it looks like Red Sox fans will be seeing the promising rookie play first base for the first time in this weekend's series against the Atlanta Braves.
"(Campbell) is set to get his first start at the position this weekend," MassLive's Sean McAdam reported on Wednesday.
First base will be the newest position for Campbell, who already has spent time at second base, left field, and center field throughout the young season. Given the injuries to certain Red Sox position players, Campbell has had to become flexible in playing all over the field.
For Red Sox fans expecting to see Campbell at first base on a nightly basis, that won't be the case. Cora spoke on Campbell's usage at first base moving forward, revealing it will be a slow process that allows the promising infielder to learn while not hurting the team.
"We're not going to all of a sudden (have him play) seven in a row," Cora said. "Little by little."
Cora also spoke on how he knew the weekend series against the Braves would be the perfect time to introduce Campbell to the position, knowing their tendencies compared to the tendencies of the speedy Brewers, who take more chances on the base paths.
"It was going to be tough from that standpoint... With Atlanta, they do one thing and they do it well — hit the ball in the air and out of the ballpark. I think it’s a good matchup for him"Alex Cora on Kristian Campbell
The rookie has experienced growing pains at the plate since winning AL Rookie of the Month in April, slashing just .133/.182/.217 with 25 strikeouts in the last 30 days. It shouldn't be a reason for concern, as all rookies take time to become accustomed to MLB pitching.
Now, with Mayer up with the team at third base in the wake of the Bregman injury, and Campbell playing all over the field, that leaves Roman Anthony as the last prospect of the "Big Three" to be in the minor leagues. According to multiple reports, his time should be coming soon.
It remains to be seen just how much time Campbell will get at first over the next few weeks, but his first start at the position should be coming as early as Friday when the Red Sox travel to Atlanta for a three-game series.