BOSTON — More than four hours before first pitch Friday at Fenway Park, there was Kristian Campbell working with Boston’s coaches on adding yet another position to his already-vast repertoire.

Campbell took part in drills at first base both on the diamond and at a simulated base down the right-field line Friday afternoon — and it wasn’t simply a coincidence. The Red Sox intend to see if their versatile rookie can become a potential option to take over at the position in the wake of Triston Casas’ season-ending knee injury.

“Looking for options,” said manager Alex Cora. “Obviously, we’re getting Romy (Gonzalez) probably by the end of the week or early next week. But just introducing him to first base and seeing how it looks.

“The process started,” Cora added. “It can take 10 days, 15 days, a month, two months, but we started the process. We’re introducing himself to first base.”

The Red Sox have considered many different alternatives in the two weeks since Casas went down on a collision while running to first base. They have started Romy Gonzalez (three games), Abraham Toro (four) and Nick Sogard (five, including Friday) at the position in the interim. But it has been clear all along that they need a more permanent option to emerge.

In recent days, the club has remained consistent with its message to agents who represent available first basemen that their plan is to stay internal. Though Cora adamantly claimed Friday that Campbell’s introduction to the position “doesn’t have to do” with Devers, it’s hard not to see the development and think the club has high hopes that Devers — who expressed an unwillingness to move to first base — will emerge as a realistic option. For now, Sogard and Toro are the day-to-day options with Gonzalez (left quad contusion) due back soon. But Campbell looks like the best long-term option.

According to Campbell, the club hadn’t broached the possibility of playing first base with him until Friday, when Cora first mentioned it to him. The efforts began immediately, though it remains unclear when the rookie might see action in a game.

“Me and A.C. talked about it,“ Campbell said. ”Got to learn the position, obviously. It’s gonna take some time. But it’s something I’m willing to do to help the team.

“I’ve never played over there before. Not sure exactly what the plans are. It’s something I definitely have to get used to.”

Campbell, who has logged innings at three positions (second base, center field and left field) since debuting on Opening Day, never played first during his brief minor league career. In 2023 and 2024, he appeared at the other three infield positions and all three outfield spots. A player known for his versatility thought it was just a matter of time before he got some run at first.

“I felt pretty comfortable,” Campbell said. “They do a really good job of introducing things to me all the time. It’s just another position. I think it’s my last position. I needed to learn all of them. I get to knock it off my bucket list, for sure.

It definitely helps a lot being on the same side as second base,“: he added. ”It’s not completely different. It is a little awkward and looks a little bit different but the more and more I’m over there working on it, the better I’ll get.”

Friday’s brief workout included footwork drills and using a practice glove owned by infield/first base coach José Flores, who also worked with Campbell at Triple-A Worcester last year. Campbell said his first-base glove is on the way. Cora described the drills as the first step in what might be a long process.

“Obviously, we’re throwing this at him but we believe he can actually digest it,” Cora said. “This is not like, ‘Oh, K.C. is playing first base tomorrow.’ We just want to see the footwork, how he moves and go from there.

“He’s just an athlete. He has played all over the place. He’s learning how to play second base at this level.”

A potential position switch for Campbell — who has started 33 of Boston’s first 45 games at second — opens questions about the short-term future of the rest of the infield. A vacancy at second base would swing the door wide open for the Red Sox to call up top prospect Marcelo Mayer and either play him at shortstop, with Trevor Story moving to second base, or have Mayer play second (where he’s starting Friday for Worcester). The Red Sox could get the versatile Ceddanne Rafaela some infield work in an effort to clear a path for Roman Anthony.

For now, though, the story is yet another crash course for Campbell, who took a team-first approach when asked which position is his favorite to play.

“Whatever makes the team better,“ he said. ”That’s the position I play. I’m used to second base, because that’s what I played in college. But whatever makes the team better at the time.”