The Boston Red Sox are unable to get lucky. The squad is two games above.500 and has an unexpectedly strong pitching staff. Even though a lot of people would have signed up for that at the start of the season, the team is in last place and several key players are missing due to injuries.
Sadly, the hits don’t stop coming. First baseman Triston Casas of the Red Sox was placed on the 10-day Injured List on Sunday due to a left rib strain, the team reported. To replace Casas on the roster, Boston will summon Triple-A catcher Tyler Heineman.
Place of the Boston Red Sox Triston Casas is listed as injured.
Casas was obviously uncomfortable during his at-bat in the first inning of Boston’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. He did not enter the field to play defense after the inning, even though he completed the at-bat and received a walk.
After the game, manager Alex Cora met with media while Casas was still undergoing testing. Still, his initial impression was not encouraging.
Cora stated in the press conference following the game, “No, he’s not doing OK. We’re keeping an eye on him and will learn more as the evening wears on. He responded, “I can play defense, but you need somebody to hit for me,” as soon as he entered the dugout.
The manager’s concerns about the rookie slugger are validated by Sunday’s announcement. Although the Red Sox have faced injuries to important players throughout the season, Casas’ departure is still a devastating blow. The 24-year-old is among the club leaders in RBI and home runs, and he leads the team in OPS (.857).
Casas will now be a position player on the injured list, joining Trevor Story, Tyler O’Neill, and Vaughn Grissom, rather than leading the lineup. Not to mention that Rafael Devers, the team’s top hitter, has been out of the lineup lately due to a bone bruise in his left knee.
In Saturday’s game, Bobby Dalbec started in Casas’ place at the beginning, and it is anticipated that he will play more now. Malbec has had a very difficult time lately. Despite his potential and history as a top prospect, Casas’ placement on the injured list could be the final straw for the Red Sox in 2024.