Red Sox Make Change To Infield Alignemnt For First Time This Spring

One of the biggest storylines in Boston Red Sox spring training is where Marcelo Mayer and Caleb Durbin will play.

So far, it has been Dubin at third base and Mayer at second base during workouts. However, according to The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey, Durbin will be at second base and Mayer will be at third base on Friday in the backfields. The Red Sox will play an exhibition against Northeastern on Friday, but neither Durbin nor Mayer is starting.

Durbin and Mayer switching spots at some point was expected. The Red Sox want to see both of them at both positions before deciding on their everyday infield alignment. Friday is the first time they will get a look at Durbin at second base, the position he came up playing in the minor leagues.

"I’m used to second, I moved around every spring training, I’ve been a guy that, I’m not going to be pigeonholed into one spot in spring,” Durbin said on Thursday, per McCaffrey. “I’m going to move around, just to give myself and the team some flexibility, I’m sure. I definitely anticipate playing a decent amount of second, a lot of third, wouldn’t be surprised if I had some games at short, but just trying to stay flexible."

Durbin has made three starts at second base in the big leagues and 119 starts at third base. However, he has 150 starts at second base in the minor leagues. He should be able to handle either position. Mayer is no different.

Mayer had just six starts at third base in the minor leagues, but was forced to play third base when Alex Bregman got hurt. He played solid defense, posting a plus-two outs above average at third base in the big leagues. He had over 200 starts at shortstop in the minor leagues, so the transition to second base should not be tough for him.

In fact, Durbin's former teammate Brice Turang went from shortstop in the minor leagues to second base in the big leagues. He ended up winning a Platinum Glove, so having a natural shortstop at second base could do wonders for the Red Sox defense.