Before Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony made it to the big leagues, the Boston Red Sox were unwilling to entertain trades that included them. That could change ahead of the 2025 trade deadline.
The Red Sox plan to buy before the July 31 deadline, and despite having a logjam of players in the outfield, the team hopes to maintain its young core for now. The majority of Boston's trade chips will likely come from its farm system, which is among the deepest in the league. But Red Sox insider Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic writes that more than just prospects could be on the table.
McCaffrey suggests there's a chance that Campbell will be dealt before this year's trade deadline. She listed his chances to be traded as "medium," on a scale from low to medium to high. For comparison, she listed the likelihood of a trade of top pitching prospect Payton Tolle as "low" and a "high" chance top outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia is traded.
McCaffrey believes it's telling that the Red Sox recalled David Hamilton to the big leagues instead of Campbell after Mayer's recent wrist sprain. Hamilton is batting just .179/.229/.276 through 64 appearances with the Red Sox this season.
The Athletic reports a 'medium' chance that the Red Sox trade Kristian Campbell before the trade deadline
A trade involving Campbell seemed entirely off the table a year ago. The infielder rocketed up through the Red Sox's farm system in just two seasons, and he jumped three levels in 2024 alone. Campbell slashed .330/.439/.558 with a .997 OPS between High-A, Double-A and Triple-A last season. His season earned him the nickname "Barry Bonds" among his Red Sox teammates, along with Minor League All-Star and Player of the Year honors from multiple publications.
The Red Sox acted quickly to extend Campbell less than a week after his MLB debut. He got off to a hot start in the big leagues and batted .301/.407/.495 through April 30. He stalled at the plate throughout May and June, and his slash line dipped to .223/.319/.345 by June 18, when Boston optioned him to the minor leagues to work on his swing.
Campbell signed an eight-year, $60 million extension with the Sox, which is a team-friendly deal if he works out to be the player they expected. He has no long-term track record of offensive success in the big leagues, though, and trading for an eight-year contract would require multiple high-priced assets from any interested team. Such a deal may not be a risk that other clubs are willing to take.
Campbell's name hasn't popped up in many — if any — trade rumors, and it's hard to imagine the Red Sox trading someone they so recently signed to be a cornerstone of the franchise for the better part of the next decade. If Boston trades Campbell, it could be one of the more shocking moves of the deadline.