Red Sox infielder Caleb Durbin underwent a PIP joint reconstruction procedure on his left pinky last week, according to a team announcement. It’s the same finger that Durbin partially dislocated back in June, although he did not miss any time during the season and played in the Wild Card Series against the Yankees. Durbin played third base in the two-game sweep and went a combined 0-for-7 with a strikeout.

Durbin came to Boston in a six-player trade in early February. The Sox slotted him in as their regular third baseman, and he responded with his typically excellent defense at the hot corner. Durbin earned +13 Defensive Runs Saved and +7 Outs Above Average this year, both of which were tops among third basemen in the Junior Circuit. He also held his own at the plate. In 586 plate appearances, Durbin batted .248/.332/.378 with a wRC+ of 100, or exactly league average. He chipped in 13 home runs and 20 stolen bases while accumulating 3.1 wins above replacement, according to FanGraphs.

The partial dislocation occurred on June 24th against the Rockies. Durbin slid head-first into first base on an infield grounder and jammed his pinky on the bag, ultimately leaving in the third inning. That was merely a precautionary move, and indeed, Durbin avoided the IL and didn’t seem worse for wear as the season went on. As a matter of fact, he posted a 119 wRC+ from June 25th onward, batting .272/.377/.391 in 335 plate appearances.

Evidently, the injury was minor enough that Durbin and the team felt he could wait until the offseason to be re-evaluated. The Sox were eliminated on September 30th, and MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reported five days later that Durbin was going through postseason appointments on his pinky. Although an official timeline wasn’t included in the Red Sox’ announcement, it’s reasonable to assume Durbin will have a normal offseason post-recovery and be ready for Spring Training.

Durbin isn’t eligible for arbitration until 2028 and remains under control through 2031. The Sox should be set next year with him and 2026 All-Star Willson Contreras on the infield corners. Mid-season acquisition Curtis Mead is the early favorite at the keystone, while Trevor Story is the default option at shortstop in his final year under contract. Boston could look to add a left fielder if they non-tender Jarren Duran, and a rotation addition wouldn’t hurt if Sonny Gray heads elsewhere in free agency.

Photo courtesy of Brad Penner, Imagn Images