Red Sox keep Durbin at third after acquiring Curtis Mead, eye further upgrades
Boston retained Caleb Durbin at third base following the Curtis Mead trade, while chief baseball officer Craig Breslow signaled interest in additional roster moves as the team returns to contention.
The Red Sox added infielder Curtis Mead from Washington after a six-player deal that also brought Caleb Durbin to Boston. Despite earlier speculation that Mead would take over third base and shift Durbin to second, the team kept Durbin at the hot corner for now. Durbin, who said he is willing to play wherever needed, will also practice at second base and shortstop while the Sox evaluate Mead’s role.
Durbin’s offensive production rebounded after a slow start to the season. Over his last 171 plate appearances, he posted a .288/.353/.510 slash line with a 136 wRC+, contributing significantly during Boston’s recent 15-game winning streak.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said the organization is prepared to add more talent as the club re-enters the playoff race. > "I think the players deserve it. I think the fans deserve it. It has been a turbulent path to get here, but as we sit here today a week out from the deadline, the resilience and toughness of this team has become very apparent," he told reporters.
The front office has reportedly scouted top-market players such as Jeremy Peña, Zach Neto and Shea Langeliers, though none are expected to move before the deadline. With those options unlikely, the focus shifted to more attainable targets like Mead, who fills an infield and right-handed bat need.
In pitching news, left-hander Ranger Suarez was activated from the 15-day injured list and started against the Toronto Blue Jays, delivering four scoreless innings and striking out six. He now holds a 3.15 ERA in his debut season with Boston.