With the Super Bowl behind us, spring training is just around the corner, and teams are making their final roster additions after a busy offseason. The Red Sox lost Alex Bregman to free agency and had a big need in the infield, which they tried to address by making a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers to acquire 3B Caleb Durbin. Who is Durbin and is he a good fit for the Sox? Who is headed back to the Brew Crew in return? Let’s run down the trade from both sides and see how it impacts fantasy baseball plans for the upcoming season.
The Red Sox have been known to be shopping around with a host of rumors and names flying around, but Durbin is an acquisition that comes out of nowhere. The Brewers have been trading veterans, most notably Freddy Peralta, but they don’t seem to be in full “sell” mode coming into 2026. It’s a little surprising that Durbin was available, so let’s break down this trade.
How Caleb Durbin fits in Boston
Durbin was a 14th-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft by the Braves and was traded by the Braves to the Yankees in a minor-league deal before the 2023 season. He blossomed in the Yankees’ system, hitting .304 in 2023 and .275 in 2024 as he climbed through Single-A, Double-A and Triple-A.
In 2024, he had 10 homers in 82 games in Triple-A, hitting .287 with a .388 wOBA and adding 29 stolen bases as well. He was traded to the Brewers last offseason, along with Nestor Cortes, in the trade that landed Devin Williams in the Yankees’ bullpen. Durbin started the year in Triple-A but quickly earned a promotion after just 13 games.
In 136 games for the Brewers last year, Durbin hit .256 with 11 homers, a .319 wOBA and 18 stolen bases. The Brewers didn’t put nearly as much emphasis on the run game as the Red Sox do, so his stolen bases could climb with a full season in Boston.
Durbin finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting last year and brings a high ceiling going forward. He is also a very strong defender at 3B, which fits with the Red Sox philosophy of having strong defense in the infield, given their pitching staff’s propensity to induce ground balls.
Durbin comes with five years of team control and could be a good fit at Fenway with a pull-heavy profile.
Along with Durbin, the Red Sox acquired Andruw Monasterio, Anthony Seigler and a Comp B pick. Monasterio is another utility infielder who gives the Red Sox depth and versatility. Seigler is an interesting prospect who was a first-round pick of the Yankees as an extremely unusual switch-hitting, switch-throwing catcher who was also a switch-pitcher in high school. He has an excellent approach at the plate, but is only a .227 career minor-league hitter. He played catcher, second base and third base in Triple-A last year and made his MLB debut at the end of last season, hitting .194 with a pair of stolen bases. Both utility players are interesting organizational depth, but Durbin is the gem of this trade.
Red Sox Grade: A-
The Sox addressed their need in a creative way and stayed young. While he isn’t the prototypical slugger some fans were hoping for, he’s a very solid fit that lines up with the rest of their infield.
Who joins the Brew Crew?
The Brewers acquired three players in return for Durbin, Monasterio and Seigler. The biggest name going to Milwaukee is starting pitcher Kyle Harrison. The Red Sox acquired Harrison in the trade for Rafael Devers from the Giants. The lefty went 7-7 with a 4.56 ERA, 4.33 FIP and 8.5 K/9 in 24 games for the Giants in 2024.
In 2025, he was excellent in the minors, going 5-2 with a 3.66 ERA, 4.04 FIP and 10.4 K/9. He showed promise down the stretch for the Red Sox, allowing four runs with 13 strikeouts in 12 innings after a September call-up. He’s the big return in this deal for the Brewers, although there are definitely questions about how much he can contribute to the MLB rotation.
David Hamilton is a speedy infielder who had 22 stolen bases in 91 games last year for the Red Sox. He only hit .198, though, so his hit tool holds him back from an everyday role. Hamilton is a lefty who could fit into the mix for the Brewers, but Durbin is a better fit for Boston, which needs more offense from the position.
Shane Drohan is the third player headed to Milwaukee in the deal, and the 27-year-old lefty has yet to make his MLB debut. He pitched in 12 games (11 starts) for Triple-A Worcester last season, going 5-1 with a 2.27 ERA, 2.85 FIP and 12.7 K/9. He has good stuff and posted a strong whiff rate in the minors last year, but he has had durability concerns throughout his career. Baseball America ranked him as the No. 15 prospect in the Red Sox system, and he could end up making some starts for the Brewers, along with Harrison, this year.
Brewers Grade: C
The Brewers did manage to fortify their rotation with the pair of young lefties in this deal, but Durbin seems like a lot to give up, especially since they now seem a little thin in the infield overall.
