The Boston Red Sox on February 9 completed their infield by trading for former Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin. With him also came depth infielders Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler to give Boston a new-look group on the dirt.
The Sox also sent three players to the Brewers, which opened up three 40-man roster spots to easily accommodate their new additions. Kyle Harrison, whom the Red Sox recieved as part of their package for Rafael Devers from the San Francisco Giants, headlines Milwaukee's return package alongside pitching prospect Shane Drohan and depth infielder David Hamilton.
Despite Harrison's potential and status as the second to last player in the Devers trade to be part of the Red Sox organization, Hamilton's is also a notable departure from Boston. With just one year of control and one minor league option remaining on his contract, the Red Sox sent Hamilton back to the team that drafted him.
Boston in 2021 traded Hunter Renfroe to Milwaukee to reunite with Jackie Bradley Jr. It landed prospects Alex Binelas (now in the Philadelphia Phillies organization after the Red Sox released him in May) and Hamilton.
Red Sox (finally) offload David Hamilton to the Brewers in the Caleb Durbin trade
The latter hasn't been able to put it together over parts of three big league seasons with Boston. Hamilton's ceiling has never reached that of an everyday player in the majors, but he spent nearly 100 games on the Red Sox's roster in the last two seasons, getting plenty of opportunities to play due to all the injuries the club faced.
Hamilton batted .198/.257/.333 over 91 games with the Red Sox last season. Somehow, he was a better defender than Kristian Campbell with an out above average at second base, but his fielding still wasn't great, with seven errors between the two middle infield spots.
It's safe to say the Red Sox kept Hamilton around so long as a base running threat. He stole 33 bases over 98 games for Boston in 2024, but his efficiency decreased last season to 22 bags in 91 games. Hamilton is a weapon on the base paths, but when Boston is as desperate as it is for offense, it can't justify giving Hamilton a roster spot just for his speed when he rarely made it on base in the first place last season.
Many Sox fans hoped the team would move on from Hamilton this offseason and their wishes came true. It's especially nice that the Red Sox were able to package him in a trade for a three-player return that helps them maintain depth. Hamilton had his moments in a Red Sox uniform, including a clutch home run or two, but they traded him at the right time to make the most of his remaining contract value.