An unproductive September and another early playoff elimination has shown the Boston Red Sox that they need to improve their offense to be more competitive next year. A full season of healthy, productive Caleb Durbin should help with that.
During his first season with the Red Sox, Durbin posted similar numbers to his rookie campaign with the Milwaukee Brewers. That's not a bad sign since Durbin came in third in the National League Rookie of the Year race that season. Durbin slashed .256/.334/.387 with 25 doubles and 11 home runs over 136 games with Milwaukee and .248/.332/.378 with 25 doubles, a triple and 13 homers in 153 games with the Sox.
Despite the slightly lower slash line with Boston, Durbin showed plenty of promise this season. He started the year in a long, wicked slump and he slashed .163/.241/.238 through May 24, before things started looking up for him. The length and severity of his slump tainted his numbers and impact for the rest of the season. He batted .279/.369/.424 from June 1 through the end of the season.
Durbin slumped again at the end of the regular season, along with most of the rest of the Sox's lineup. He batted .217/.365/.304 over 22 games in September. Durbin has a better excuse for his diminished production than many of his teammates do, as he played much of the second half with an injured pinky finger. According to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe, Durbin couldn't straighten the finger for the final two months of the season (subscription required). The Red Sox on October 11 announced that he underwent surgery to repair the pinky.
Caleb Durbin has given many indications that he'll continue to improve offensively with the Red Sox
There's no reason to believe that Durbin can't improve on his offensive numbers from the last two seasons. He'll already be at an advantage if he doesn't start the 2027 season in a slump. Before he escaped the dry spell, he worked with an outside hitting coach to get his swing right and the results speak for themselves. Durbin hit all but one of his 13 home runs in June or later, after his breakout, which suggests he could grow into more of a home run threat next season.
Durbin has also been unexpectedly valuable on defense, which has been a priority for the Red Sox as they embrace a "run prevention" style of play. Durbin on October 14 was nominated for his first career Gold Glove award at third base, further evidence that he should be in the Sox's lineup every day next season.
The Red Sox will need to seek home run power elsewhere, but if Durbin can continue his upward trajectory, he could be one of the team's most consistent hitters in the future. Of all the internal improvements Boston could hope for, Durbin's is probably one of the safest to bank on.
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