With only seven games left in the season ahead of Sunday’s MLB slate, the Boston Red Sox‘ playoff hopes are hanging on by an increasingly thin thread. The Red Sox, in the second American League Wild Card spot, sit just one game ahead of the Cleveland Guardians — winners of their last 10 straight — and Houston Astros.
Injuries have taken a brutal toll on the Red Sox this season, and none more so than the oblique strain suffered by rookie sensation Roman Anthony, who has not played since September 2. The Red Sox have won seven and lost eight since Anthony went out. In their previous 15 games, with Anthony, their record was 10-5.
But the Red Sox have another top prospect who could help them in their final playoff drive — but they club is keeping him at Triple-A Worcester and according to a report by Chris Cotillo of MassLive, they are likely to keep him there through the end of the season.
Why?
Campbell Has Improved at AAA Level
Kristian Campbell, a 23-year-old who was ranked as baseball’s No. 7 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline before the season, started 2025 with the big league club in such scorching fashion that the club rewarded him with an eight-year, $60 million contract extension.
At the start of May, however, Campbell missed three games with a rib injury. Though on his return he insisted that he was healthy, Campbell was not the same after that. After a .902 OPS in March and April, he collapsed to a .355 mark in May.
The Red Sox demoted Campbell to Worcester on June 19. Despite turning things around and posting respectable offensive numbers, even with the Red Sox struggles they have kept him there ever since.
Red Sox Cycle Through Players, but Not Campbell
“Despite the major league club staying in contention all year and having need after need pop up due to injuries, Campbell has not been a factor,” Cotillo wrote on Sunday. “For various reasons, the club has decided both parties are better off with the talented 23-year-old playing for the WooSox.”
Cotillo noted that even with their outbreak of injuries, Boston chief of baseball operations Craig Breslow and manager Alex Cora elected to keep Campbell in the minor leagues, instead, “they’ve cycled through David Hamilton, Nate Eaton and Nick Sogard, signed veteran Nathaniel Lowe, promoted Jhostynxon Garcia for his first big league cameo and even dedicated a roster spot to Ali Sánchez, a third catcher who has two plate appearances.
In 73 games at Triple-A, Campbell has batted .273 with eight home runs, 11 doubles, and a .799 OPS.
Red Sox Want More Consistency From Prospect
According to Cotillo’s reporting, Red Sox brass want Campbell to “show more consistency with his approach, hit the ball hard more often and perhaps just as importantly, appear more settled on the defensive side of the ball.
Cora said that Campbell has been “OK” at Worcester, but “there’s other parts of the game that we’ve got to be better (at).”
The Red Sox have struggled to score runs since losing Anthony, averaging just 4.47 in the 15 games since September 2, compared to 4.96 in all other games this season. Their schedule to end the season consists of one more game, Sunday, against the Tampa Bay Rays — then three each against the AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays and AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers.
But the Red Sox remain content to let Campbell finish out the season in the minor leagues where he can work on his “approach.
Red Sox Keep $60 Million Top Prospect in Minors as Playoffs Hang in Balance