The Boston Red Sox’s offseason has gotten mixed reviews from the fanbase. It’s no secret that people are disappointed by the lack of offensive additions the front office has made compared to the promises made at the beginning of the offseason. There were some bright spots, such as a deeper pitching staff. With names such as Ranger Suarez and Sonny Gray coming in, the rotation was definitely improved.
Could Triston Casas be the Red Sox’s Lineup’s X-Factor?
The Issue
On the offensive side, however, the big area of need was about getting a power bat. When the Red Sox traded Rafael Devers last June, based on his attitude, one could argue he needed to go. However, personality aside, his departure left a hole in Boston’s lineup. His 162-game averages are 33 homers and 106 RBI’s. That’s a lot of production to throw away. So when the offseason started, thoughts of Pete Alonso or Kyle Schwarber coming to Boston and filling that hole seemed possible. But unfortunately, the Red Sox fell short of both.
No true power hitter was acquired this offseason, basically leaving the power in the hands of in-house production. With the most home runs on the team being 25 (Trevor Story), it’s understandable to think they’re okay where they are now. Story wasn’t the only one over 20. Wilyer Abreu hit 22 in a season where he was riddled with injuries towards the end. Newly acquired Willson Contreras also hit 20 for St. Louis last season. But the Red Sox have been known for their power hitters. David Ortiz, J.D. Martinez, Devers, and many others in the past. It feels weird not having one going into the season.
A Possible Solution
While Craig Breslow acquired Contreras to play first base for at least part of the year, the World Baseball Classic starts in a couple of weeks. This is important because Contreras is leaving to represent Team Venezuela. With him absent during Spring Training, this could open up the perfect opportunity for a familiar face, Triston Casas. Although Casas did say he’s not going to rush back from his injury, his impact on the lineup could be needed. He is fielding grounders and taking batting practice, but the assumption is that he’ll start the 2026 season on the injured list or even in Worcester. For those who don’t remember, he ruptured his patellar tendon in May 2025. He’s still recovering from the major injury, but one would hope that when he returns, he can make an impact on this lineup.
Strengths
For starters, Casas does have power when he’s hitting well. In his first qualified season, he hit .263 with 23 homers and 21 doubles. While he may not help batting-wise, he also has a career on-base percentage of .348, helping set up scoring opportunities for the team. The fact that he’s taking grounders is good too; in his career, he’s barely under the league average for fielding% among first basemen (.993 compared to the league average of .994). Granted, if he comes back, he might have to split time. But maybe splitting time can help produce better numbers, batting-wise.
Weaknesses
The glaring issue is how Casas started the 2025 season. Before the injury, he was having a horrible start. He had a 2-3 hit-to-strikeout ratio (18 hits/27 strikeouts), only 11 walks, and an abysmal .182 batting average. But if you remember properly, no one from that lineup really had a great start to that season. Devers had a historic low, going 0-21 to start the season. Everyone really started catching on fire in late May. That’s not really an excuse for someone who’s struggling, but it’s not like he was the only one. Also, Casas isn’t really a pull hitter or an opposite-field hitter. The majority of his career hitting has been to center.
- Pull%: 30.4%
- Cent%: 50.8%
- Oppo%: 13.8%
In comparison, his opposite field hit percentage is far below the league average at 18.1%. His strikeout percentage is also not great, at 26.6%, which is 4.1% above the league average. He wasn’t the best defensively either, with a DRS of -4 through 29 games this past season. He only matched that total in 2023, when he played 132 games. Contraeras had -1 last year in far more games for the 2025 season (120).
Is Casas The Answer?
So the question arises: if there are more negatives about him, is Casas really the answer? And the short answer is, yes. Once he recovers, there is a good chance he could work his way into the lineup. Whether as a DH or a guy splitting time at first, Casas could contribute to this team. There’s an argument to be made that not playing every day could mess things up, but it could also help. His on-base percentage is pretty good every year. It’s Casas’ bat that’s the issue currently. Maybe fewer at-bats make him focus on his production more, and eventually, he could slide into the designated hitter spot or at first base should anything happen. At his best, he’s a very good power bat, and Casas is only 26. It’s not the time to give up on him yet.
Main Photo Credits: Eric Canha-Imagn Image
