Third base remains a massive hole for the Boston Red Sox headed into the 2026 season. The team and Red Sox Nation hoped that Alex Bregman would return on a long-term deal, but the move that could've strengthened their infield for a half a decade did not come to fruition.
Bregman signed with the Chicago Cubs on January 10, throwing all of Boston's offseason plans into question. Trading for Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras were win-now moves, and losing Bregman and not replacing him with Bo Bichette or an equal option could devastate their infield.
Even though it's been one of the slowest-moving offseasons in MLB history by most accounts, the external backup options are dwindling. That's why when MLB.com's Brent Maguire suggested the best backup plans at third for Boston, he had to name internal options too, except one of them should never even cross Craig Breslow or Alex Cora's mind.
This Alex Bregman backup plan should be completely unacceptable for Red Sox
Amongst the options Maguire posited was Kristian Campbell. The former top 20 prospect made his MLB debut last season and played mostly second until he was optioned to Triple-A in June. Campbell started hot with the bat, winning the April AL Rookie of the Month after hitting .301 with a .902 OPS in the first month of the season.
After that, things went downhill fast. From May first until he was sent down on June 19, Campbell hit .159 with a .465 OPS in 38 games. It wasn't just the bat that was abysmal, though — the defense was too. In 472 innings at second base, the righty was -8 Outs above Average, and his -10 fielding run value was the worst among all second basemen. It simply didn't work for Campbell in the infield last season.
Kristian Campbell will stick to one position in 2026 instead of “bouncing all over” according to Craig Breslow:
— Matthew Crory (@matthewcrory) November 12, 2025
“If you think about where his athleticism may play in the short-term, I think in the outfield, he feels pretty comfortable as a chance to just let the instincts take… pic.twitter.com/Mzz6IQpIpH
While the primary focus for Campbell this offseason has seemingly been to put weight back on so he could impact the ball better, it also looks like they are transitioning him to a full-time outfield role. Campbell played in the Puerto Rican Winter League this offseason, and while mostly being a DH, did play some in the outfield.
The Red Sox have better internal options on the dirt than Campbell. Maguire also mentioned Mayer being an option, and if they stick with an internal option, that needs to be the way to go. In 246 innings at the hot corner, Mayer logged two outs above average and had a fielding run value of two.
While Campbell may just be an average defender in the outfield, it's better than being a black hole in the infield. There are simply better options, and Campbell can utilize his athleticism in the outfield. Let him stick out there and keep him away from the hot corner.