The Boston Red Sox swung another deal with the Milwaukee Brewers this past offseason and it hasn't worked out in the club's favor just yet.
Boston was in need of an infielder and went out and acquired Caleb Durbin in a deal with Milwaukee centered around Kyle Harrison, who was the centerpiece in the Rafael Devers trade last summer. Harrison made just three appearances for Boston and now he calls the Brewers home. He has made three starts already for Milwaukee and has a 3.07 ERA. In comparison, Durbin entered the day on Monday slashing .106/.208/.128 in 14 games played.
Now, both guys are under team control with their current respective teams for years to come. This small sample size won't fully determine the winner and loser of the deal, but right now it's skewing Milwaukee's way. One thing that won't sit right with Boston fans is the fact that ESPN's Kiley McDaniel actually listed Harrison as one of two hurlers he expects to break out in 2026.
"No. 2. Kyle Harrison, LHP, Milwaukee Brewers: Over the past two years (with the Giants and Red Sox), Harrison has raised his velocity 2 mph and raised his arm slot 4 degrees, which has fueled 4 inches of additional lift in his four-seamer," McDaniel wrote. "He's also throwing his slurve 1.6 mph harder and switched up his changeup grip, getting 5.5 inches more sink in part due to 700 fewer rpm on the pitch. Adding a sinker as a fourth option has filled out his repertoire, and his strike throwing is now dialed in despite some problems with that in the past."
Again, both Durbin and Harrison have years to change the narrative around this deal. But Harrison has looked good in a Brewers uniform and the perception out there is that he's going to have a big season. Boston traded Devers for him and did not get the success from that deal.