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Future For Ailing Red Sox Infielder Becoming Less Blurry

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Since Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas went down with a left rib strain, it’s been murky waters about his return. The news came in late May that Casas was close to ramping up his rehab. Then, in late June, the 24-year-old was reportedly on the verge of regularly swinging in the cage. But neither materialized, and the first baseman is still left without a concrete timetable. However, recent predictions regarding Casas’ outlook shine a brighter light. The future for the ailing infielder is becoming less blurry.

Future For Ailing Red Sox Infielder Becoming Less Blurry

Triston Casas’s outlook

Casas was hurt on April 20 against the Pittsburgh Pirates during a swing. He was placed on the injured list the following day and transferred to the 60-day IL within a week. It was confirmed that Casas had torn cartilage but no bone break in his rib cage. And thus began the questions of when the youngster would return. Those inquiries are still lingering today, but a recent article by The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey should ease Red Sox fans’ concerns slightly.

McCaffrey pointed out that, before the recent All-Star break, Casas began taking soft swings. If it progresses well, that could turn into hitting in the cage, barring any setbacks, in the next week. McCaffrey said that if everything stays its course, Casas may be on a rehab assignment in late July. She also touched on injured infielder Vaughn Grissom, who may have a rehab assignment in the next few weeks as he returns from a hamstring issue. 

 

Obviously, nothing is set in stone for Casas, but it’s a positive sign for the 24-year-old. He had a solid start to the season, smacking six home runs and posting a .857 OPS in 22 contests. His 12 walks helped his on-base numbers reach .344. Casas is coming off his first full season of MLB action. He batted .263 with a .856 OPS, 24 homers, 65 RBI, and 70 walks in 132 games last year.

 

What Casas’ Return Would Mean For The Red Sox

For Boston, this is essentially like adding a trade acquisition to a team that has been one of the best in baseball over the past month. There are already questions surrounding what the Red Sox will do at the deadline, and Casas’ return will certainly factor into decision-making. But bringing back the first baseman will not harm Boston’s current lineup. Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran, Masataka Yoshida, and company should be itching to get Casas’ bat into the lineup. 

The Red Sox have the third-best record in baseball since the beginning of June at 24-13. They rank eighth in runs scored and home runs, fourth in stolen bases, and fifth in total bases. It’s been a strong month-and-a-half run for Boston, which is playing without one of its most impactful players. As of July 18, the Red Sox sit third in the AL East at 53-42, just 4 ½ games behind the Orioles. Boston currently holds the third Wild Card spot by two games, with the Kansas City Royals just behind.  

 

In Casas’ absence, the Red Sox signed Dominic Smith and Garrett Cooper to fill the void. Cooper has since been designated for assignment and signed to a minor-league deal by the Baltimore Orioles after just a month of play. Smith has done a decent job filling in for Casas. He’s batting .270 over his last 100 at-bats and has five homers in 60 games with Boston. His OPS+ ranks just under the average hitter, and, for someone who was basically grabbed for nothing, it hasn’t been a disaster. But it would be hard for Casas to return and not improve on the current production at first base.

Main Photo Credits: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The post Future For Ailing Red Sox Infielder Becoming Less Blurry appeared first on Last Word On Baseball.