The Boston Red Sox are coming down the stretch, and they have their eyes set on a postseason berth. Boston hasn’t played October baseball since reaching the American League Championship Series in 2021, but at 65-52, they’re 3.5 games clear of the final Wild Card spot ahead of Saturday’s game at the San Diego Padres.
To make sure they complete their playoff push, the Red Sox may turn to some reinforcements as part of September call-ups. With the roster only expanding to 28 players, competition is fierce for the two extra spots, leaving some prospects facing an important August on their way to the big leagues.
Kristian Campbell Needs a Big August to Ensure Return to Red Sox
Life was good for Kristian Campbell at the beginning of the year. The No. 7 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Campbell won a job out of Spring Training and signed an eight-year, $60 million contract shortly after making his major league debut. With a willingness to play anywhere on the field, Campbell was winning over manager Alex Cora and Red Sox fans until his bat failed him.
Campbell’s month of May, where he hit .134/.184/.171 in 22 games, punched his ticket to Triple-A Worcester midway through June. While his “Big Three” teammates of Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer made their way to Boston, Campbell has been working to find his swing, hitting .267/.404/.412 with four homers and 18 RBI in 37 games since his demotion, but there are signs he’s turning it around.
The month of July was much kinder to Campbell as he hit .273/.373/.443 with four homers and 12 RBI in 23 games. While he’s gone 6-for-23 with a double, three walks, and five strikeouts in seven games this month, there’s plenty of time to make a case for him to rejoin the team soon.
The only issue is where Campbell would play. The Red Sox are still looking for a permanent solution at first base, and Campbell has spent extensive time there during his latest stint in the minors. Campbell’s natural position of second base is also blocked as Ceddanne Rafaela moved in from center field to accommodate Anthony’s arrival in the majors.
Masataka Yoshida’s return has clogged the designated hitter position, and the Red Sox would probably like for Campbell to play on a daily basis when he returns to Boston. That may not happen at the moment, but he could still claim the spot of infielder David Hamilton, who is hitting .176/.229/.267 with three homers, 12 RBI, and 17 stolen bases in 20 attempts over 68 games.
It brings some path for Campbell to join the roster and the postseason push. But it won’t happen unless he plays well during the month of August.