It was only five months ago that Kristian Campbell's name dominated Boston Red Sox discourse when he made the team's Opening Day roster, but it feels like ages have passed since we got our first glimpse of him in a Red Sox uniform.
Earlier this week, MLB.com Red Sox beat reporter Ian Browne held an Ask Me Anything on Reddit with fans at r/redsox. One of the questions he received is one that has been weighing on the minds of Red Sox fans since June: How likely is it that we see Campbell in the big leagues again this year?
"I think only if a need arises," Browne wrote. "In hindsight, Campbell probably had too much thrown at him too fast given his relatively limited experience in the Minors heading into '25. The team would love for Campbell to keep building his confidence back and take that good feeling into the offseason."
In other words, the Red Sox felt that Campbell was good enough to make the Opening Day roster – and to earn a massive payday just days after his MLB debut – but not good enough to make the expanded roster in September? Something isn't adding up here.
More accurately, the Red Sox rushed Campbell into the spotlight as a new face of their franchise, setting him up for a dramatic fall when they eventually demoted him to Triple-A Worcester in June. Craig Breslow and the front office should be taking the blame; but, of course, they aren't.
Red Sox insider shooting down Kristian Campbell promotion emphasizes team's mistake
Campbell delivered a sensational start to his Major League career, looking like every bit of the franchise player the Red Sox hoped he would be. In April, he slashed .301/.407/.495, earning American League Rookie of the Month honors.
Campbell hit a wall in May and June, however, slashing just .159 over that stretch. Errors piled up at second base, and advanced metrics painted a grim defensive picture. At the plate, his cumulative MLB numbers through that point settled at a .223 average with six homers, 21 RBI and an OPS of .664 over 67 games.
On June 19, the Red Sox optioned Campbell to Triple-A Worcester to refine his offensive consistency and defense. The reset appears to have worked, as he's now hitting .285 with an .815 OPS over 54 games at Triple-A. Despite his resurgence, though, Red Sox manager Alex Cora tempered expectations by saying that Campbell "still has more to work on,” especially in pitch recognition and adapting to MLB velocity and command.
In fairness, Campbell presented the Red Sox with a classic “too soon vs. worth a shot” scenario. On one hand, his hype and early success suggested he was ready. On the other, the brutal slump and defensive challenges he faced in the big leagues showed that perhaps a bit more seasoning in Triple-A could’ve spared some growing pains.
Campbell’s 2025 season has been a rollercoaster characterized by a meteoric rise, a harsh regression and a renewed charge in the minors. Whether Boston promoted him too early is subjective – it could certainly be argued that he had earned the opportunity – but the learning curve has definitely been steeper than expected. That said, his bounce-back suggests the foundation is strong – and with patience, the payoff could be significant.
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