MLB Insider Hints That Red Sox Made a Mistake in Signing Key Extension

Just a month later, this decision started to sour. One MLB insider suggested the Red Sox may be regretting this signing. In a recent piece in the USA Today, Bob Nightengale offered some insight as to how this contract has aged thus far, writing this:

“Remember when the Boston Red Sox gave second baseman Kristian Campbell an eight-year, $60 million deal and looked like geniuses when he hit .301 with four homers and a .902 OPS through April? Well, he has crashed down to earth in May, hitting .137 with just one extra base hit and a .368 OPS.”

To Nightengale’s point, Campbell cooled very quickly following his contract extension. He now owns a slash line of .228/.313/.349 with five home runs entering Monday. The allure of signing a young star to a long-term deal before his price skyrockets can be a risky business. In this case, it’s way too early to tell how this one fares in the annals of Red Sox history. At age 22, we can expect Campbell to hit some bumps in the road. But time will tell if Campbell can become the star the Red Sox thought they signed.