The Boston Red Sox are eagerly awaiting the return of first baseman Triston Casas, who is recovering from torn cartilage in his ribcage. Unfortunately, they’ll need to wait longer.
Despite small strides in his recovery, Casas remains far from returning to the field. Red Sox manager Alex Cora provided a discouraging update, stating that Casas is still “far” from starting a rehab assignment, according to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo.
Casas has progressed from taking “dry” swings to doing soft toss at full speed, but his return is not imminent. The Red Sox expect Casas to return this season, but there is no clear timeline for his comeback, as he has been out since April 20.
Casas was anticipated to have a significant second season after a strong finish in the latter half of the 2023 campaign, where he placed third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. This season, he has posted a .244 batting average with six home runs and 10 RBIs in 22 games.
Dominic Smith, signed by the Red Sox in May after his release by the Tampa Bay Rays, has filled in admirably for Casas. Smith made his 52nd start at the corner infield spot on Friday. While Smith has performed well, Casas is expected to be an upgrade and will significantly aid the Red Sox’s playoff push once he returns.
