We still don't know exactly what the Boston Red Sox's batting order will look like to begin 2026, which leaves the door wide open for speculation.
Boston's skipper Alex Cora has already revealed that Roman Anthony is his leadoff hitter, and on March 2, The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey predicted what the rest of the lineup could look like — Trevor Story in the No. 2 spot, followed by Jarren Duran, Willson Contreras, Wilyer Abreu, Caleb Durbin, Carlos Narváez, Marcelo Mayer, and finally, Ceddanne Rafaela in the No. 9 spot.
That's a sound forecast from McCaffrey, but here's a pivot: What if the underrated Durbin — not Rafaela or Mayer — is actually the smartest choice to plug in at the No. 9 spot for Boston?
Durbin rarely strikes out — his 9.9 percent K rate was fifth-lowest in MLB last season, which was also Durbin's rookie campaign. The gritty infielder earned himself a No. 3 finish in National League Rookie of the Year voting, and he only promises to improve at the plate in a Red Sox uniform.
Caleb Durbin should bat ninth for the Red Sox
Caleb Durbin should hit 9th for the Red Sox.
— Colin Keane (@ColinKeane_) March 3, 2026
He rarely strikes out. Gritty AF. Placing him before Roman Anthony makes a lot of sense.
Durbin is a smarter choice at the No. 9 spot than Rafaela or Mayer. pic.twitter.com/5BN6z9AB8b
Durbin's career on-base percentage of .334, along with the fact that he's allergic to striking out, makes him a more reliable fire-starter than Rafaela to place in front of Boston's best hitters. Rafaela's got the elite speed that screams No. 9 hitter, but his career .284 OBP and habit of going cold for long stretches render his base-stealing potential somewhat of a moot characteristic until he becomes more consistent.
Mayer also lacked consistency at the plate last season with a .272 OBP. The ceiling for both Mayer and Rafaela is limitless, but don't forget that the Red Sox are also trying to win now. As far as 2026 is concerned, Durbin is a much better bet as a faux lead-off guy in the No. 9 spot.
For proponents of moving Anthony back in the order, this Durbin idea also makes sense. Once the lineup goes through one pass, Anthony is effectively operating as a No. 2 hitter if Durbin is getting on base like a lead-off hitter should.
We'll have to wait and see if Durbin delivers, but all signs — including his spring training production thus far — point to a continuation of his rookie excellence. Durbin is 5-for-14 at the dish this spring with two doubles, five RBI, a stolen base, and just one strikeout.