BOSTON — The Red Sox fell victim to their defense the last two seasons.
They led the American League in errors in each of the last two seasons and struggled to maintain stability, particularly up the middle. Boston has some stability there with Trevor Story and Kristian Campbell solidified at shortstop and second base.
Alex Cora wanted to see better efficiency in turning double plays specifically. He’s gotten that so far with Boston leading the league in turning them. The Red Sox turned three alone during Sean Newcomb’s start in Baltimore Monday and closed out Friday’s home opener with a 5-4-3 conversion to down the St. Louis Cardinals.
“You guys know how I feel about double plays,” Cora said Friday. “Game-changers. Momentum. You turn a double play and come back and hit a homer. Boom. You just keep going. We’ve been trying to get better at that.”
Cora appreciates Campbell’s development around the bag with his hand speed and footwork at second base. The Red Sox infielder “night and day” up the middle since the start of spring training in his work.
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“It’s comfortable for the whole infield,” Cora said. “Last year was moving pieces. There was versatility, but it was out of need.”
“It’s been a lot of action,” Trevor Story told NESN.com Friday. “I think we’ve turned every chance that we’ve gotten. He’s helped me out on a couple bad feeds. We’ve got some good chemistry. It’s good, man. He’s grown a lot into second base, putting in all the work. He’s a confident kid. It’s fun to play with him out there. He’s just going to get better.”
The Red Sox will go as far as their pitching and defense take them this season. Friday saw a slip with three errors, but consistency and efficiency are already more encouraging in 2025.
Featured image via Tim Heitman/Imagn Images
