The Boston Red Sox acquired Caleb Durbin from the Milwaukee Brewers in the offseason, and he has gotten off to a slow start.
Durbin is 0-for-12 with one walk and three strikeouts to start the season. He has also committed one error, and some Red Sox fans are starting to question whether he was worth the trade. However, they should calm down and give Durbin some more time before jumping to conclusions.
Even though he does not have a hit to show for it yet, five of the nine balls Durbin has put into play have been classified as hard-hit balls, meaning they had an exit velocity of at least 95 mph. Additionally, he is in the 86th percentile for squared-up percentage through three games. Sooner or later, good contact will result in hits.
His at-bats have not been bad for the most part. Additionally, it is still very early in the year. It is not uncommon for players to take a couple of weeks to really get their footing and get on a roll.
One thing to note is that Durbin has not hit well at Great American Ball Park since he made his debut. Last season, he went 3-for-17 at Great American Ball Park, so it may just be a venue where he does not pick up the ball well. It would not be the first time a hitter has struggled in a specific ballpark.
Durbin was the everyday third baseman on the team that won the most games in baseball last season. The Red Sox saw something in him when they acquired him, and they are not going to give up on him so early in the year. Fans need to have some patience, and the move will start to make more sense.
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