It goes without saying that Kristian Campbell's first two months as a Major Leaguer with the Boston Red Sox didn't exactly go according to plan.
Campbell's bat carried him through April, when he was named American League Rookie of the Month, but he quickly came crashing back down to earth in May. By mid-June, he was back at Triple-A Worcester — and with plenty of work to do.
Campbell's success didn't come immediately upon his return to Triple-A, especially while he was still trying to learn first base. Since the All-Star break, though, he's been an unstoppable force. Campbell owns a 10-game hitting streak in that span for Worcester with a .368 batting average and a 1.074 OPS. That includes four consecutive multi-hit games from July 25-29 and an opposite-field homer on Tuesday – a promising sign that his swing is returning to form.
Alex Cora gets brutally honest about Kristian Campbell after Red Sox trade deadline
This kind of production simply can't be ignored, especially from one of the young players on whom the Red Sox have rested so many of their hopes for future success as a franchise. So, what's the holdup in bringing Campbell back to Boston? According to manager Alex Cora, there's more to Campbell's resurgence than meets the eye.
"There's still work to do," Cora told reporters on Friday, including Christopher Smith of MassLive. "He's still a work in progress. He's gotten better. The numbers show that. There's a few things under the hood that we still need to get better at."
Alex Cora on Kristian Campbell: "There's still work to do. He's still a work in progress. He's gotten better. The numbers show that. There's a few things under the hood that we still need to get better at."
— Christopher Smith (@SmittyOnMLB) August 1, 2025
Cora said he's talking both offensively and defensively. https://t.co/V28V6mr3xc
Sometimes it's easy to forget that Campbell only played 19 games at the Triple-A level last year before cracking the Red Sox's Opening Day roster in 2025.
There's also the challenge of learning a new position, which cannot be overstated. Campbell has been used primarily at first base lately with Worcester, and that is the position at which he has the best chance to impact the Red Sox in the final two months of the season.
Cora's comments may have thrown a wet blanket on Red Sox fans' excitement about Campbell, who certainly appears to have found his rhythm at the plate. But perhaps a little more time for him to develop in Triple-A wouldn't be the worst thing.
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