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Red Sox infielder Caleb Durbin discussed how wrestling background helps with fielding
"He’s a great athlete.”
Caleb Durbin’s wrestling background: Caleb Durbin is hoping to put his best foot forward with the Red Sox after being acquired in a trade earlier in February.
And when it comes to defensive positioning, the 25-year-old’s background could provide a leg-up. Though he played mostly third base as a rookie with the Brewers a season ago, Durbin has experience at second base too (and could be asked to play there by Boston manager Alex Cora).
“Short guy, lower to the ground,” Cora said of Durbin, per MassLive’s Christopher Smith. “I got some people that work for the Brewers. They say that when he goes down on the ground, he comes up very quick. I know it’s his wrestling background. He used to wrestle. So he’s a great athlete.”
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Durbin, who hit .256 with 11 home runs and 53 RBIs in 136 games in 2025, originally hails from Illinois. While at Lake Forest High School, he followed in the footsteps of his father and brother as multi-sport talents. Part of this meant wrestling. Durbin helped Lake Forest set a school record for dual team wins in 2015, and he even received D-III offers to wrestle in college.
Eventually, he opted to pursue baseball at the collegiate level, playing for Washington University in St. Louis.
“I get asked a lot like what from wrestling translates into baseball,” Durbin told The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey. “I think [staying low is] one of the biggest things. Obviously, you have to keep good positioning in wrestling. So it’s something that definitely comes naturally to me on the field when I’m playing defense.”
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Beyond the physical comparisons, the mentality of a wrestler is something Durbin’s coaches have often praised.
“Caleb is an extremely tough young man, mentally and physically,” Durbin’s college baseball coach, Pat Bloom, said in a 2024 interview.
And even going back to his days at Lake Forest, the school’s wrestling coach (Matt Fiordirosa) cited Durbin as “very humble and hard working” in 2015.
The Red Sox infield situation remains far from settled, so Durbin’s exact role is yet to be determined. If Boston prospect Marcelo Mayer can return from injury and make a strong case to start at third base, Durbin’s position could shift.
Trivia: What former Patriots offensive lineman was a freestyle world champion wrestler (and a two-time NCAA champion) before improbably switching to football?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He was a member of three Patriots Super Bowl winners (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX).
Scores and schedules:
The U.S. women’s hockey team plays Canada in the gold medal game for the 2026 Winter Olympics today at 1:10 p.m.
Tomorrow, the U.S. men’s hockey team faces Slovakia in the Olympics semifinal at 3:10 p.m.
Tonight, the Celtics return to the court after the All-Star break to play the Warriors on the road at 10 p.m.
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And on Saturday, the Revolution open the 2026 MLS regular season at Nashville with an 8:30 p.m. kickoff.
More from Boston.com:
- Fleet’s Aerin Frankel, Team USA ready for yet another gold-medal showdown against Canada
- 3 takeaways from Team USA men’s hockey’s OT win over Sweden in Olympics
- Report: Bill Russell’s widow sues his daughter over breach of contract
- Adam Schefter maps out potential price for Patriots in Maxx Crosby trade
- Red Sox release statement after outcry over flawed jersey design
- Could Brian Thomas Jr. be a legitimate trade target for Patriots this offseason?
- Rafael Devers reacts to Red Sox exec’s ‘pick up a glove’ comment
- Pavel Zacha’s Olympic dream turned into a nightmare due to ill-timed injury
- Ernie Adams named interim football coach at Phillips Andover
- Patriots reportedly set to name Zak Kuhr as defensive coordinator
The majesty of the Olympics: Nazgul the dog, in slow-motion.
On this day: In 2018, the Red Sox signed J.D. Martinez. Though a comparatively later free agent addition — Boston players were already gathered at spring training — the acquisition proved to be an immediate success. Martinez hit .330 with 43 home runs and a league-leading 130 RBIs in 2018, helping the Red Sox win the World Series.
Daily highlight: Quinn Hughes won it for Team USA in overtime against Sweden in Wednesday’s Olympic quarterfinal matchup.
Trivia answer: Stephen Neal
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