Rather than rolling the dice with Nate Eaton, Nick Sogard, and Alí Sanchez, the Red Sox should look to the hungry talent waiting in the minors for their shot.
Boston has shown flashes down the stretch, but ever since Roman Anthony went down, the team’s momentum has seemed to vanish with him.
With Anthony and others sidelined and inconsistency plaguing the roster, the club has turned to Eaton, Sogard, and Sanchez for help. But with the pitching staff already benefiting from young arms, the smarter move would be to lean on the farm system. Players like Kristian Campbell, Jhostynxon Garcia, and Mikey Romero are ready and eager for the call.
3 Players Can Save Red Sox’s Momentum
Kristian Campbell was sent down after a brutal slump that turned him into one of baseball’s coldest bats, a sharp fall from the hot April that earned him an eight-year, $60 million extension. Once viewed as a second baseman, he’s since been moved all over the infield — even at first — and now finds himself in right field, where he’s actually looked solid. That spot could easily be his long-term fit, especially compared to Eaton.
Mikey Romero, a former first-rounder, offers a very different kind of spark. The No. 8 prospect in the system has been flying through the ranks, moving from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, where he’s been heating up at the plate. On the season, he’s batting .243 with 17 homers, 73 RBIs, 103 hits, and a .758 OPS. Since arriving in Worcester, he’s been red-hot, cranking 13 doubles in just 40 games and bringing his season total to 31. After a quick adjustment period, he looks ready. If he can bring even half of that production to Boston, he’s already an upgrade over Sogard.
Then there’s Jhostynxon Garcia, maybe the most intriguing option of the group. He showed flashes of both power and strong defense during his brief call-up before September, even recording his first big-league hit. But he only managed a .143 average in five games (seven at-bats) and was sent back down. Since then, he’s gone right back to mashing at Triple-A, looking like the same hitter who earned that first call-up. A second chance feels not only likely but deserved.
Red Sox’s Rest-of-Season Outlook
At this point in the season, the Red Sox don’t need flawless baseball — they need momentum. Promoting Kristian Campbell, Mikey Romero, and Jhostynxon Garcia would inject youth, versatility, and energy into a roster that badly needs fresh legs and hungry bats to spark a run.
Normally, development timelines encourage patience, but the standings leave no room for it. The Blue Jays have their division all but locked, and Boston now trails the Yankees by two games for second. Meanwhile, the Guardians are surging, riding an 11-4 September stretch and winning 10 of their last 11. They’ve closed to just 2.5 games back of Boston for the final Wild Card spot, with the Rangers lurking close behind.
But the Red Sox don’t need to play scared of Cleveland. Their real focus should be on Houston, who they trail by just half a game for the second Wild Card slot. Leapfrogging the Astros in the next week would give Boston breathing room. That has to be the mission — cowboy up and go take it.
If the Red Sox want to rise above mediocrity and keep October dreams alive, leaning on their young prospects isn’t just bold — it might be the only move that gives them the spark they need.
