This probably is not going to do much to make Red Sox star slugger Rafael Devers look better. As Devers, who is being paid $313 million over 10 years by Boston, continues to sulk over the fact that the team pulled him off of third base and refuses to take a crack at playing first base in place of the injured Triston Casas, rookie Kristian Campbell has quickly put his hand up to man the position.
On Friday before the beginning of the weekend series against the Braves, Campbell was out on the infield at Fenway Park, working with coaches to learn the position. It’s a new experience for Campbell, who has played 33 of his 39 games in the big leagues at second base. The other six have come in the outfield.
Campbell is a versatile and athletic fielder who, throughout his career in college and in the minors, has played second base and center field most often, but as appeared in both right and left fields, as well as at shortstop and third base. He has never appeared as a catcher … or a first baseman.
This would be new ground for the amenable rookie.
Kristian Campbell Willing ‘To Help the Team’
Campbell was asked about getting the work at first base, and his response to the request by the team was a polar opposite to the flat no offered by Devers.
“Me and (Alex Cora) talked about it,“ Campbell said, via MassLive. ”Got to learn the position, obviously. It’s gonna take some time. But it’s something I’m willing to do to help the team. I’ve never played over there before. Not sure exactly what the plans are. It’s something I definitely have to get used to.”
“I felt pretty comfortable,” Campbell said. “They do a really good job of introducing things to me all the time. It’s just another position. I think it’s my last position. I needed to learn all of them. I get to knock it off my bucket list, for sure.”
Red Sox Lacking Options at First
There is no timeline on getting Campbell ready to take over at first, and certainly, throwing him into the fire with no minor-league or spring-training experience at first is a difficult ask. But the Red Sox’s first-base situation as things stand is untenable.
Nick Sogard was the first baseman on Friday. He and Abraham Toro are manning the position, with Romy Gonzalez likely to handle more games there when he returns from injury.
And who knows, maybe seeing Campbell putting in the work to learn the spot with nudge Devers into doing it, too. As it stands, Cora said the Red Sox will take their time before putting a new position on Campbell’s plate.
“The process started,” Cora added. “It can take 10 days, 15 days, a month, two months, but we started the process. We’re introducing himself to first base.”
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Red Sox Make Surprise Change, Begin ‘Introducing’ Rookie to 1B