Let’s go inside the mind of Alex Cora.
Kristian Campbell. Check,
Marcelo Mayer. Check.
Roman Anthony. Check.
The Red Sox and the Big Three have done what looked almost impossible to do: they’ve stopped the bleeding. In ten games in June the Sox are 6-4 with two series wins. If we back up to the sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers they’ve won three series: at the Atlanta Braves, at the Yankees, and home against the Tampa Bay Rays. They only took one game against the Los Angeles Angels but the two one-run losses were really anyone’s to win.
Since losing Triston Casas on May 2 the Sox have been trying to figure out how to field a team every day. The loss of Alex Bregman three weeks later only compounded things. The small sample of life with the Big Three all in the majors is a nice vision of the future but, while lineup uncertainty is s spectate of the past, it’s not banished just yet. The common baseball refrain for lineup logjams is that “these things work themselves out” (Wilyer Abreu to the IL for Roman Anthony and all of a sudden the kid was ready for the majors after all) but we won’t let that stop us!
Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images
Rafael Devers is the DH. It doesn’t appear like that will change at all, however with “conversations continuing” who knows. Maybe he’ll sneak in some fielding practice and decide he’s ready for a little first base work. Given that Triston Casas may be off looking for Isolde well into the 2026 season it would really help the team is Devers could at least be on the depth chart somewhere at first. And honestly the Kristian Campbell to first experiment could make Casas unnecessary, if he ever does play there in a game.
Speaking of first…The first base paring of Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro is one likely place to see a roster change. With both guys playing well it’s hard to know who draws the short stick — probably Romy? — but one of them plus Campbell can free up a very needed offensive roster spot.
Second base is locked up with Kristian Campbell until and unless they move him to first to clear that space for Marcelo Mayer. After a brutal stretch in May where he collected just 5 hits in 20 days, Campbell has turned it on since May 30 hitting .250/.341/.361. That’s not his big April, but it’s a sign he’s now adjusting to the league that adjusted to him.
Alex Bregman, recovering from a quad injury, has started his running program and is moving at “warp speed.” If he’s back in July he’s clearly taking third base. Which puts Marcelo Mayer either back in Triple A or at shortstop if Trevor Story is supplanted (thankfully Story has seen a bit of a bounce; sorry to the DFA Trevor crowd out there). Or possibly at second base with Kristian Campbell playing first. If it’s not going to be Devers, this almost needs to happen to open up the keystone and find space for all the prospects.
Shortstop continues to be a dilemma. Trevor Story is still signed for a couple years and when he’s not hurt or slumping is nice to have there. While the Sox were in Atlanta there were signs that he was turning it around. Like with Campbell, May was brutal. But starting with the Braves series he’s on a .310/.356/.571 heater. Is this eventually Marcelo Mayer’s job? Yes. If Story gets hurt or slumps again? Probably. But the veteran has the inside track. Maybe a Story trade? That’s a lot of dreaming.
Jarren Duran is the left fielder and clear leadoff hitter for Cora, and while we can definitely disagree about that choice with a lefty on the mound there really are some guys who don’t like batting first. Duran seems to run with it. Duran has been almost entirely a left fielder this season — and with Ceddanne Rafaela’s defense who can complain? — but he’s potentially an option in center field with Roman Anthony up on days that Rafaela is out of the lineup. Let Kristian Campbell stay where he is.
Nuf Cedd Rafaela has center field locked down brilliantly. He can come into the infield but that’s really not taking advantage of his best skill. It does allow an Anthony, Duran, Abreu outfield though. Again, Campbell to first helps keep that bat in the lineup. Presuming Toro isn’t actually amazing forever.
Roman Anthony switched his number from 48 (spring training) to 19 (his every day number in the minors) and Craig Breslow described Anthony, more than Mayer, as the guy who will stay up when he’s ready. No shuttle. Yes, there’s a chance it doesn’t work, like with Jackson Holliday. Or heck, even Mike Trout made a debut that was less than stellar and then the next year was Rookie of the Year.
Wilyer Abreu might only miss a short time but he’s a critical pillar in roster construction. He only plays right field but he does so at Gold Glove level. He’s not going to the minors but he’s also cooled off after his really hot start at the plate. Along with Duran he’s mentioned in trade rumors. But ideally they’d move him (well either of them) in an offseason for, presumably, a starting pitcher.
The catching situation is what is is. If Conor Wong stats hitting he’ll get more time. Until then, ride the Carlos Narváez experience.
So, what does that give us?
When Abreu is back something like: Duran, Devers, Abreu, Anthony, Story, Toro/Romy, Catcher, Campbell, Rafaela?
It just really makes you want to see Duran, Devers, Abreu, Anthony, Story, Mayer, Catcher, Campbell, Rafaela.
Add Bregman and Mayer is out for sure, even with Campbell presumably at first base.
Buckle up, it’s gonna be Cora Time.