Red Sox Phenom 'Crashed Down To Earth In May'; But Who's To Blame?

The Boston Red Sox have mishandled the development of one of their rising stars, and the numbers reflect that.

At 28-32 entering Sunday, the Red Sox have a myriad of issues to sort through. Boston entered the day with the fifth-worst record in the American League, trailing the AL East-leading New York Yankees by 8.5 games.

For a Red Sox team that looked like a World Series contender on paper before Opening Day, things are looking grim.

The lack of winning is the primary concern, but Boston has also experienced a few secondary failures this season, some of which can be attributed to questionable management.

Boston’s handling of the Rafael Devers drama has not been smooth. Now, the Red Sox are confusing every last observer in the baseball universe with their baffling refusal to call up No. 1 prospect Roman Anthony, in effect prioritizing service time manipulation over winning.

Anthony isn’t the only prospect caught in the web of Boston's poor management, however.

22-year-old phenom Kristian Campbell has been a victim of poor decisions from above, too. After Campbell got off to a torrid start to the season at the plate, the Red Sox overburdened the rookie with a bunch of positional changes, most recently and drastically, a move to first base.

Notably, Boston pulled out of their plan (at the last minute) to have Campbell debut at first base on Sunday versus the Atlanta Braves. Perhaps management is arriving at some self-awareness of their mistakes with Campbell, whose struggles in May have become national news.

On Sunday, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale noted Campbell’s frigid month in the batter’s box.

“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 an .902 OPS through April?” Nightengale wrote.

“Well, he has crashed down to earth in May, hitting .137 with just one extra base hit and a .368 OPS.”

Campbell is a special righty bat that should thrive in the near and distant future at Fenway Park, so long as Boston puts him in the best position to succeed, something it hasn’t done to start his career.