The unraveling of the Boston Red Sox infield didn’t happen overnight, but by early 2026, the damage was no longer subtle. It’s visible in the standings, in the stat lines, and in the names no longer on the roster. What began as a tense positional dispute with Rafael Devers has become a chain of decisions that now define the team’s slow start and uncertain direction.
A Franchise Cornerstone Pushed Out
Devers was supposed to be a long-term fixture. Instead, tension surfaced the moment Boston signed Alex Bregman and attempted to move Devers off third base. The shift didn’t resolve anything; it intensified the situation inside the clubhouse. By the All-Star break in 2025, the Red Sox made their decision and traded Devers to San Francisco, prioritizing flexibility over stability at a position that had been settled for years.
At the time, the return suggested pitching depth and future upside. In practice, it has produced neither.
Red Sox Return Falls Apart Piece by Piece
Jordan Hicks logged the most time in Boston from the deal, but his performance never stabilized. An 8.20 ERA out of the bullpen forced the team to move on quickly. Kyle Harrison followed a different path; he spent most of his tenure in Triple-A before being traded to Milwaukee, where he has opened 2026 with a 2.61 ERA across two starts.
James Tibbs III barely had time to settle into the organization before Boston dealt him to the Dodgers for Dustin May. May made six appearances and posted a 5.40 ERA. Tibbs, meanwhile, is producing at an extreme level in Triple-A, hitting .474 with a 1.719 OPS and seven home runs.
What remains from the original chain of moves is Caleb Durbin, now the starting third baseman. Through limited action, he holds a -0.2 WAR with just two hits in 28 at-bats, a stat line that reflects the broader instability at the position.
No Devers, No Bregman, No Margin for Error
The situation became more complicated when Boston failed to retain Bregman in free agency. After initiating the shift that led to Devers’ departure, the Red Sox lost Bregman as well. He now plays for the Chicago Cubs, leaving Boston without either player and without a proven replacement.
That absence is showing early in the standings. At 2-7, the Red Sox hold the worst record in Major League Baseball. The offense has struggled to produce consistently, and the early run differential places them in a category that historically does not recover in time for postseason contention.
There is still time on the calendar, but not much room for further missteps. Each loss reinforces the consequences of the decisions that reshaped the roster. The
