Boston Red Sox
“Clearly, lengthy approach to go, however he was a dude that I actually loved watching.”
New Red Sox addition Caleb Durbin will not be essentially the most imposing determine on the baseball diamond.
However, the 5-foot-7 infield is a robust defender and tenacious presence on the plate — related in some respects to former Purple Sox nice Dustin Pedroia.
As such, it shouldn’t come as a lot of a shock that Durbin admitted on Wednesday to taking inspiration from the previous All-Star second baseman.
“He was undoubtedly one among my favourite gamers rising up. A man I undoubtedly attempt to mannequin my sport round, ”Durbin said Wednesday at JetBlue Park. “Clearly, lengthy approach to go, however he was a dude that I actually loved watching.”
It stays to be seen if Durbin will observe in Pedroia’s footsteps and play second base for Boston.
The Purple Sox have vacancies at each second and third, with each Durbin and Marcelo Mayer seemingly the following males as much as man these respective spots within the infield.
Durbin, who completed in third place within the NL Rookie of the Yr voting in 2025, is wanting ahead to assembly Pedroia in some unspecified time in the future now that he calls Boston house.
“I’m certain we’ll have numerous conversations,“ Durbin mentioned. “He’s an identical man, related profile to me so far as dimension goes. So numerous dialog about stuff like that and the way he was in a position to overcome lots in his life and be a celebrity. I solely hope to be a little bit bit like that. So it’s undoubtedly going to be enjoyable speaking to him.”
Durbin, acquired by Boston as part of a six-player trade with the Brewers on Monday, initiatives to be a plus-defender throughout the infield and a participant who can grind out at-bats whereas limiting strikeouts (50 throughout 506 plate appearances in 2025).
As extra of a conventional pull hitter, the right-handed Durbin is wanting ahead to calling Fenway Park house shifting ahead.
Even along with his low whiff fee and talent to sq. up pitches, Durbin doesn’t precisely have numerous pop on the plate, as he solely slugged 11 house runs and posted a .387 slugging share throughout 136 video games with Milwaukee final season.
Past getting an opportunity to membership pitches up or over the Inexperienced Monster, Durbin believes he can generate extra energy shifting ahead in what’s going to stand as simply his second full season within the huge leagues.
“I used to be happy with bat-to-ball, strikeouts and stuff,” Durbin mentioned. “Was in a position to play at this degree and I used to be simply persevering with to push the envelope of batted balls, exit velo, all that stuff. Bat pace. These are stuff that’s type of low hanging fruit that I may get lots higher at.”
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