Caleb Durbin’s first Gold Glove Award has a Milwaukee stamp on it.
The Red Sox third baseman was honored for his defense in 2026, but the path to that trophy started long before he arrived in Boston. Durbin’s development at third base took shape during his time with the Brewers, where he went from a player with real questions at the hot corner to one of the best defenders at the position.
Durbin’s journey moved fast. He was added to the Yankees’ 40-man roster in November 2024 to keep him out of the Rule 5 Draft, then got dealt to Milwaukee less than a month later in the Devin Williams trade that also brought Nestor Cortes to the Brewers. He didn’t break camp with the big league club in 2025, in part because he still needed work defensively at third, and Milwaukee opened the season with Vinny Capra and Oliver Dunn getting the first crack there.
That setup didn’t last long. Durbin was called up by April 18 and made his MLB debut, though the early returns were uneven both at the plate and in the field.
The breakthrough came in June, when he hit .296 for the month and started looking much more comfortable defensively. By the end of his rookie year, he had posted 5 Defensive Runs Saved and a league-average 0 Outs Above Average, a strong finish after a rocky start.
A big reason for that turnaround was the work he put in with Brewers infield coach Matt Erickson. Durbin credited Erickson as a major part of his defensive growth when he got to Boston, and the results showed up quickly. In 2026, he put up 13 Defensive Runs Saved and 6 Outs Above Average, enough to earn the AL Gold Glove at third base over Brooks Lee of the Twins and Nick Loftin of the Royals.
“Elite at the hot corner.
Caleb Durbin takes home his first Gold Glove Award! pic.twitter.com/WMSv27KrGm
- Red Sox (@RedSox) November 2, 2026”
Boston can celebrate the award, but Milwaukee helped build the player who won it. The Brewers clearly deserve credit for helping turn Durbin into a Gold Glove-caliber third baseman.
The trade between the Brewers and Red Sox now looks like a solid outcome for both sides. Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan became part of Milwaukee’s World Series roster and were World Champions, while David Hamilton also landed with the Brewers. Durbin, meanwhile, proved he can handle everyday third base in the majors, and his Gold Glove only strengthens that case.
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