Dustin Pedroia is widely considered the greatest Boston Red Sox second baseman of all time. He's one of just 10 different Red Sox to win MVP, is 10th in bWAR among Red Sox players all time, all while making 11 straight Opening Day starts.
Since Pedroia made his last Opening Day start in 2017, it's been a revolving door of players starting at the keystone each season. Eduardo Nunez made back-to-back opening days at second in 2018-19, followed by six different players in as many years. It's about to be seven in seven.
Since 2020, Jose Peraza, Kiké Hernandez, Trevor Story, Christian Arroyo, Enmanuel Valdez, and Kristian Campbell have started at second base on Opening Day. In 2026, only Trevor Story is on the Opening Day roster. He and Kristian Campbell are the only two of those six who are still members of the organization.
Second base remains the Red Sox's most unsettled position into 2026
Despite three different heads of baseball operations since the Sox won the title in 2018, second base has been a position they've been unable to figure out. Only two fielders, Arroyo and Valdez, have played over 100 games at second for Boston from the start of 2019-25.
That looks to remain mostly the same in 2026, as Marcelo Mayer, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Andruw Monasterio are the three infielders likely to see the most time at second base for the 2026 Red Sox. Mayer would need to surpass 92 games there this season to reach 100, while Monasterio and IKF are both new to the club and are going to fill a utility role. Romy Gonzalez is the only other player with the potential to reach 100, needing another 37 games, though he's starting the season on the injured list.
Alex Cora was asked today about his comments surrounding an IKF and Marcelo Mayer platoon.
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) March 24, 2026
He initially said he thought it was a mix-and-match situation with Andruw Monasterio and IKF, before correcting himself: “I know it’s mix-and-match. It’s not, ‘I think.’" pic.twitter.com/iok2GrUlMH
The biggest problem with the current setup is that it doesn't fix the problem. Mayer may hold down the fort at second base for a year or two, but he can be moved to shortstop at any time, especially once Story's contract is up. Campbell was supposed to be the long-term answer there, but he has been moved to a mostly permanent outfield role in the organization after his horrendous defense last season.
While one position on the diamond is not enough to derail a season, it's more of an overarching theme of the organization since 2019. Bringing in stopgap veterans, trying to find diamonds in the rough to fill holes, and trying to throw stuff at the wall to see what sticks. While the Red Sox are still looking for a long-term answer at second base, the players who will see the majority of the time this season should still make an impact, and right now, that's all that matters.