Should the Boston Red Sox demote one of the franchise’s fastest-rising stars?
Boston entered Friday with a 30-34 record. The Red Sox have suffered through a disappointing, up-and-down season so far, but a weekend series at Yankee Stadium gives Boston a rivalry-fueled chance to turn things around.
Speaking of turning things around, the Red Sox have a few players going through horrid stretches at the plate, most notably veteran shortstop Trevor Story and rookie phenom Kristian Campbell.
Story has broken through recently, but Campbell continues to look lost in the batter’s box and has for over a month now.
Still just 22 years old, Campbell was expected to experience highs and lows this year, but at least one writer believes Campbell would benefit from a visit to Triple-A.
On Thursday, NBC Sports Boston’s Justin Leger asserted that the Red Sox should demote Campbell.
"Since May 1, Campbell has hit just .137 (13-for-95) with one homer and a .383 OPS in 26 games,” Leger wrote.
“We've reached the point where it may be wise to give Campbell a reset in Triple-A Worcester.”
“Letting Campbell play through his struggles would make sense if Boston were winning games, but (manager Alex) Cora's club must operate with urgency.”
"More time in Worcester could be just what the doctor ordered for Campbell. … Sending Campbell down would also clear a path for the Red Sox to promote … Roman Anthony. Ceddanne Rafaela could move from center field to second base, fixing the outfield logjam that has contributed to Anthony's extended stay in the minors. Or, Rafaela could move to shortstop with Marcelo Mayer or Trevor Story taking over at second.”
Leger’s proposal for Cambell is intriguing in the sense that it would open up a place for Anthony, but on the whole, demoting Campbell would be the wrong move for Boston, and Campbell.
It’s obvious that the rookie is in his head right now, and sending him down would only further damage his confidence. On the other hand, allowing Campbell to struggle on the big stage and work through his drought without fear of punishment will instill in the young player a mindset about playing freely. The last thing the Red Sox want to do is damage Cambell’s psyche by insinuating that he isn’t Major League-ready.
Cora seems to agree with the above, as he communicated to the media on Tuesday that he wants Campbell to work through things in the Majors, not at a lower level.
“We want him to get (back on track) here,” Cora said. “He’s going to get at-bats here, and we’re going to keep pushing him to be better."
