April is flying by as the first month of the 2025 MLB season is nearly in the books. The Boston Red Sox have seen their fair share of ups and downs to begin the campaign, boasting a solid 14-11 record through their first 25 games of the season.
Even though 25 games isn't the biggest sample size, it's usually enough to determine if a player will be beneficial or detrimental to a club's plans. When it comes to the latter category, a specific Red Sox veteran hasn't wasted any time proving that he doesn't belong in manager Alex Cora's plans.
Red Sox IF David Hamilton Doesn't Belong on MLB Roster After 25 Games
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that infielder David Hamilton has been one of the Red Sox's most disappointing players so far. The San Marcos, TX native hasn't come close to matching the impact he made when he recorded eight home runs, 28 RBIs, 33 stolen bases, and 22 walks while slashing .248/.303/.395 in 98 games (294 at-bats) with Boston in 2024.
After a strong spring training showing, Hamilton has struggled to produce at the plate. The former 2019 eighth-rounder is slashing a pedestrian .079/.138/.185 across his first 27 ABs, registering only one HR, two RBIs, two stolen bases, and a pair of walks along the way.
If that isn't disappointing enough, Hamilton is striking out on a career-worst 27.6% of plate appearances (MLB average is 22.6%) while his average exit velocity (83.6 mph) is also noticeably below last year's effort (83.6).
It would've sounded silly to talk about sending Hamilton to the minors before the season started. Now, a potential demotion doesn't sound like the worst idea. His bat isn't helping the Red Sox as it is, meaning a short stint with Triple-A Worcester might be what the 5-foot-11 infielder needs to regain his confidence to help Boston win games later in the year.
Although it might be too early to call up one of Roman Anthony or Marcelo Mayer to take Hamilton's spot in the lineup, it wouldn't be surprising if the Red Sox used his demotion as a way to bring a veteran like Vaughn Grissom or Nick Sogard back to the Majors.
The 2025 campaign is heating up, meaning Hamilton doesn't have much time to prove his worth to Cora's managerial staff. Failing to quickly turn things around could see him traded elsewhere entirely if the Red Sox don't think a minor-league stint will help.