One of the more fascinating stories to come out of the 2025 season was the emergence of Caleb Durbin. Durbin began as a barely noticed draft prospect and was a popular piece in trade packages before eventually landing with the Brewers. After making a spirited run for NL Rookie of the Year, Durbin was on the move yet again to the Red Sox, where he is already turning heads, leaving the Atlanta Braves wondering what might have been.
The halls of baseball history are littered with examples of players whom teams gave up on too early and lived to regret it. Hell, the Braves have been on the good side of some such trades, including Max Fried and Dansby Swanson, who both grew to become key players on Atlanta's roster.
However, the Braves are on the wrong side of history when it comes to Durbin because, once you take a look back at the trade itself, it might be one of Alex Anthopoulos' biggest blunders.
Braves trading away Caleb Durbin continues to haunt them as he continues to impress in spring training
The Braves did what almost every team wishes they could pull off. Atlanta was the only team that had a scout who believed in Durbin enough to give him a shot in the MLB Draft. Durbin's contact ability quickly revealed itself as a professional, and it looked like the Braves had gotten an absolute steal in the 14th round of the 2021 MLB Draft.
Instead, a familiar roster need took precedence, and it cost Atlanta dearly. The Braves needed bullpen help before the 2023 season and opted to strike a trade with the Yankees for Lucas Luetge, a junkballing lefty reliever coming off two good seasons, that sent Durbin as well as Indigo Diaz to New York. That move did not age well.
While Atlanta wanted a steady lefty presence in their bullpen, the Braves got a lump of coal when it came to Luetge instead. After just 12 appearances for Atlanta, where he posted a 7.24 ERA, Luetge was designated for assignment multiple times before finally electing free agency. Luetge has not pitched in the major leagues since, although he did sign minor league deals with the Red Sox and Cubs before retiring in February 2025.
Meanwhile, Durbin just keeps hitting. The move to the Red Sox doesn't seem to have changed much for him, as he started the spring off hot and has easily been one of Boston's best hitters. He may never be a masher, but his contact skills are clearly off the chart and his speed and defensive versatility make him a valuable commodity for any team.
If you are looking for silver linings here, the Braves are not alone in their regrets with Durbin. The Yankees ended up dealing him to Milwaukee in the Devin Williams trade, and that...uh...did not go well for the Yankees. The Brewers got a great season out of Durbin, but then they surprisingly shipped him to Boston to get their hands on Kyle Harrison. While that is little consolation for the Braves, given they traded away a possible heir to Ozzie Albies, it is at least something.