Red Sox Reveal Vague Triston Casas Return Timeline
The Boston Red Sox lost Triston Casas to a seaosn ending knee injury last season, and it’s unclear when he will be back.
Casas is at camp, but Craig Breslow would not commit to a timeline for his return. He had surgery last May and is not a year out from having his patellar tendon surgically repaired.
“I don’t think I’m going to pass judgment either way,” Breslow said on Wednesday, per Ian Browne. “I think there is still plenty of time between now and Opening Day, but also I think putting those types of expectations is probably unfair.”
Casas is not the Red Sox’s expected starting first baseman right now, regardless of his health, thanks to the addition of Willson Contreras. However, that does not mean he will not have a role. Breslow and Alex Cora have repeatedly noted how much they like Casas and what he brings to the team.
Casas has only played over 100 games in a season once in his career, and he was great that season. In 2023, he hit 24 home runs and had a .856 OPS in 132 games for the Red Sox. The following season, he had a .800 OPS in 63 games. Last season, he was off to a slow start before his injury, but he did not even play 30 games.
The addition of Contreras complicates things for Casas, but he understands why the Red Sox added Contreras.
“As of right now, the way it is, he’s a better player than me and has been for his entire career,” Casas told reporters, per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo in January. “To upgrade at a position that has been deficient for the last two years is exactly what the team needed.”
However, Casas still believes in himself and the player he can be for the Red Sox.
“I definitely believe in my abilities and think they’re up there with the best in the game,” Casas said in January. “I’ve just got to be on the field, stay healthy and get that sample size.
“I’ve had good stretches as a major league player. I’ve had mostly bad ones. I see and know the habits of the best and I think I’m right there with them. I haven’t shown it on the field, but mentally, I think that I still have that potential of being an All-Star-caliber player.”
Step one for Casas to prove he can be an All-Star caliber player will be getting on the field and staying available for the Red Sox. Right now, it seems unclear as to when that could actually be.