Campbell still learning ins and outs of playing first base

BOSTON -- Rookie Kristian Campbell, a recent focal point as he tries to emerge from the first slump of his young career while learning a new position (first base) in pregame workouts, was back in the Red Sox lineup on Tuesday after a couple of days off.

Campbell wasn’t at his regular position of second base or ready to make his debut at first, but he instead got the nod in center field as Ceddanne Rafaela got a rest.

How is Campbell’s acclimation to first base going?

“Moving well,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “I think he has felt the work. He was a little bit tight on Sunday. So we have to be careful. That’s what you run into. We’re trying to teach him a new position. He’s learning a new position at the big league level, and now he's playing center field today, so there's a lot thrown at him, but I think physically, we have to be very careful. We don't want to lose him just because he's learning a position.”

While fans are clamoring for Campbell to move to first because it could lead to the promotion of the club’s No. 2 prospect Marcelo Mayer (MLB Pipeline’s No. 8 overall prospect), the Red Sox aren’t going to rush it.

Campbell’s first workout at first with infield instructor José Flores was on Friday prior to the first game of the homestand. The Red Sox have been searching for someone to step up and play first base since May 2, when Triston Casas suffered a season-ending rupture of his left patellar tendon.

“Flo feels like around the bag, he’s moving better,” Cora said. “The ground ball is the ground ball, right? And we do believe he's going to make plays. But I think around the bag is the most important thing. I don't know where we’re at. On a scale of 10, probably 2 1/2, 3. We’ll try to get to 10 as fast as possible, but we’re being smart about it.”

As for Mayer, his reps at second have increased since Campbell started working out at first base. It’s hard to believe those two events aren’t related. Mayer again got the start at second for Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday.

“I like the new challenge… I’ll play anywhere in the big leagues,” Mayer told Tommy Cassell of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette on Tuesday. “Whatever it takes to help the team win, whatever it takes to get me up there, I’m more than willing.”