The Boston Red Sox let Alex Bregman walk in free agency and acquired Caleb Durbin from the Milwaukee Brewers to replace him.
Durbin's Red Sox tenure was off to such a poor start that it didn't even matter that Bregman himself was underperforming in Chicago. Through 48 games, Durbin had a .163 average with a .479 OPS. However, he was benched for two days and has been tremendous ever since.
In his last 43 games, he is slashing .305/.355/.539 and his overall numbers are now very comparable to Bregman's. Bregman is slashing .239/.336/.362, compared to Durbin's .236/.299/.392. Bregman's OPS is only seven points higher than Durbin's on the season, but he is making way more money.
Bregman signed a five-year, $175 million deal with the Cubs after deciding to leave the Red Sox. The deal includes a full no-trade clause and $70 million in deferrals. The Red Sox reportedly offered him a five-year, $165 million deal with deferrals, but were reluctant to include a no-trade clause. Now, the Red Sox are looking wise to let him walk.
Neither Durbin nor Bregman has great overall numbers, but Durbin has turned a corner after a poor start, while Bregman has been in a continuous struggle all year. As noted earlier, Durbin has been a great hitter in his last 43 games. In that same span, Bregman is hitting .212 with a .696 OPS. Defensively, both have been well above average at third base, but it's what Durbin has been doing at the plate that is setting him apart.
It's unrealistic to think Durbin will hit over .300 the rest of the way, but it's clear that the version of him fans saw in the first couple of months is not the version they will be getting moving forward. He is starting to look like the player the Red Sox expected when they got him. He was a National League Rookie of the Year candidate last season and is now helping the Red Sox claw their way back into contention.