The Boston Red Sox have their Opening Day third baseman.
The recently-acquired Caleb Durbin confirmed to reporters on Wednesday that he’ll be the starter at a position that was one of the team’s bigger question marks this spring after the departure of Alex Bregman in free agency.
“I’m going to stick at third from now on,” he said. “Up until that, I guess it was pretty much just looking at the board and wherever I was that day—and I was mostly at third, obviously. But [manager Alex Cora] said I’m going to stay put at third for now.”
Durbin had played some second base and shortstop last season, but third was his primary position. It sounds as though that won’t change in Boston.
“I love third base. I’m excited,” he told reporters. “I’m ready wherever the team needs me, though, is kind of the idea. But they feel good with me at third. I obviously feel good at third. So, excited. Hopefully stick around there for a little bit.”
Durbin, 26, hit .256 with 11 home runs and 53 RBI as a rookie for the Milwaukee Brewers last season. He was part of a six-player trade in February and has hit .394 in spring training with seven RBI and three stolen bases.
His primary competition at third, Marcelo Mayer, has hit .250 with a homer and two RBI.