It's been nearly two months since the Boston Red Sox demoted Kristian Campbell to Triple-A Worcester, and the young infielder has finally started looking like his 2024 self again.
From late July and into August, Campbell posted a 15-game hitting streak with the WooSox that included three home runs. In that time, he raised his slash line from .189/.355/.297 to .279/.405/.434, and he's batting .358 since July 19.
The Red Sox could use that offensive boost in their lineup. Campbell's success from Triple-A may not carry over to the big leagues, but it's worth a shot after the Sox's offense was suffocated by the Padres' pitching staff — Boston fanned 28 times in the last two games of the series alone.
After an excellent start to the season, Abraham Toro has leveled out offensively for the Red Sox. He's slashing .202/.277/.273 in his last 30 games, and he's been one of the worst hitters in MLB since his slump began in June. Campbell has been working at first base, Toro's position in the big leagues, during his time with the WooSox, and he's settled in nicely in recent weeks.
Red Sox should swap surging Kristian Campbell for Abraham Toro down the stretch
Kristian Campbell brings in the tying run AND extends his hitting streak to 15 games (the second longest hitting streak in WooSox history) 💪💪💪 pic.twitter.com/BgFSrTt9mZ
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) August 7, 2025
The Red Sox may not want to part with Toro because he has no minor league options remaining on his contract. Boston would have to designate him for assignment to remove him from the roster, and he's been, for the most part, a reliable depth option at the corner infield spots.
Toro has reverted to his usual offensive production — his hot start with the Red Sox was just a streak. He's a career .225/.288/.358 hitter in 436 games over parts of seven seasons in the big leagues, and his regression won't cut it down the stretch.
If the Red Sox aren't ready to play Campbell at first base in the big leagues, he could take up second base in Marcelo Mayer's absence. Boston optioned David Hamilton on August 11, and it could bring Campbell back to the majors to put Ceddanne Rafaela back in the outfield where he belongs. The Sox have also given top outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia some infield training in preparation to eventually play him at first base, and he could be another solid option if Toro continues to slump. Garcia's offense could certainly be a game changer, as he's posted a .303/.370/.581 with a .951 OPS, 16 homers and 49 RBI over 59 games in Triple-A this season.
Campbell's recent play has been more than enough to justify another try in the big leagues, and Toro has been slumping for so long that it's worth it to debate moving on. Boston needs as much offense as it can get as it pushes for the playoffs, and Campbell seems like a better fit for the roster than Toro as of late.