The Boston Red Sox start the season Thursday against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati. The question as spring training wraps up is who will be the starting third baseman and second baseman on opening day. The third base question was answered the other day as Caleb Durbin was named the starting third baseman for the season opener. The second base battle came between Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell, and Andruw Monasterio; Monasterio was acquired in the trade with Milwaukee that brought Durbin to Boston. Today the Red Sox sent Kristian Campbell down to Triple-A and named Mayer the starting second baseman.
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Marcelo Mayer
Mayer this spring in 11 games hit .214 with a .710 OPS. He had a home run, two RBI, and four runs scored. He made his big league debut last season appearing in 44 games hitting .228 with a .674 OPS. Mayer had eight doubles, a triple, four home runs, ten RBI, and 20 runs scored. His season ended early with an injury.
Andruw Monasterio
Monasterio hasn’t been sent down so he may be the backup to Mayer. In 15 games this spring he has hit .313 with an .879 OPS. He has two doubles, a home run, five RBI, three runs scored, and two stolen bases. In 68 games with the Brewers last season he hit .270 with a .755 OPS. He had nine doubles, four home runs, 16 RBI, 19 runs scored, and two stolen bases.
Kristian Campbell
Campbell had also been discussed as an outfield option, but he will ultimately be in Triple-A. In 18 games this spring he hit .220 with a .646 OPS. He had two doubles, a home run, four RBI, and five runs scored. Campbell made the club out of spring training last season appearing in 67 games hitting .223 with a .664 OPS. He had ten doubles, six home runs, 21 RBI, 24 runs scored, and two stolen bases. He had won Rookie of the Month for April but struggled after that, and the team sent him down to Worcester, where he spent the rest of the season.
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