ATLANTA — Kristian Campbell’s homecoming will come with a twist this weekend at Truist Park.
The Red Sox rookie, playing in his hometown for the first time as a big leaguer, is slated to make his first base debut in Sunday’s series finale, manager Alex Cora confirmed. It’ll mark the culmination of more than two weeks of pregame work for Campbell, who began working out at the position on May 16 and has steadily gotten more comfortable there in a simulated setting.
“I’m looking forward to trying it out on Sunday and seeing how it goes in games for the first time ever,” Campbell said. “I’ve been working on it every day.”
Campbell, who has played 43 games at second base, six games in center field and two in left as a rookie, has moved around quite a lot in his professional career, but he has never logged an inning at first. With Triston Casas out for the season, Romy Gonzalez temporarily sidelined and Rafael Devers not in the mix to play first, the Red Sox vowed to get creative. So Campbell began workouts there and will now get a chance to prove himself at a position Nick Sogard and Abraham Toro have been splitting for the last couple weeks.
“First time ever playing first base in a live game,” Campbell said. “I think they’ve trained me well. I think I’ll be prepared.
“I think I’ll do fine out there at first base,” he added. “I know what all the other positions have to do because I’ve played pretty much all the other positions. I’ll just adjust on the fly and learn as I go.”
Originally, Boston’s plan to try Campbell at first base was etched, in part, to open up second base for the eventual promotion of Marcelo Mayer. Now, though, Mayer is up in the big leagues and playing third on an everyday basis with Alex Bregman out indefinitely due to a right quad strain. Campbell will probably see fewer starts at first than he would have if Bregman was healthy, but for now, the Red Sox intend to see what they have.
Campbell’s first base debut should come in front of a few familiar faces. Though he was born in Tennessee, the rookie spent most of his upbringing in Georgia and attended Walton High School, which is located about seven miles from Truist Park in Marietta. Campbell had about 30 friends and family members in the stands Friday.
“It’s exciting to come back and play on this field,” he said. “First time playing on this field.”
