As the 2026 season looms closer, the Boston Red Sox faithful anticipate a huge offseason from Craig Breslow and the front office.
Last season, acquisitions like Garret Crochet, Aroldis Chapman, Carlos Narváez and Alex Bregman led the squad to an 89 win record that clinched the first playoff berth for Boston since 2021. Although the Sox were bounced in the Wild Card round, the team set a high standard behind a Crochet Cy Young run and a Roman Anthony Rookie of the Year campaign.
The monumental 2025 team had a roster that filled most positions with all star caliber talent, just not at first base. Triston Casas, Abraham Toro, Romy Gonzalez and eventually Nathaniel Lowe all played at least 25 games at first base last season. Gonzalez was the only option who had any worthwhile success, generating 2.0 WAR and hitting .305. Lowe was the only other first baseman who generated a positive WAR at 0.4 through 31 games, but he was designated for assignment on November 18. With Lowe gone, the spotlight shifts back to Casas to finally take over the role.
Casas has had sky-high expectations since being a first round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. His 2023 breakout campaign in Boston showed why, as he hit 24 home runs with an .856 OPS through 132 games. After two injury prone seasons in 2024 and 2025, Casas received a tendered contract this offseason, but many would have expected the former No. 1 prospect to receive a multi year extension by now.
His health has been a huge reason for his lack of stability and production on the field. His injury history includes a torn patellar tendon that ended his 2025 season just 29 games in and a rib injury that limited him to 63 games the year before.
Red Sox should move on from Triston Casas to find more consistent slugger for first base
Casas being injury prone is not the only gripe with his game. In his limited playing time the last two seasons, he has consistently started extremely cold and only picks it up after the All-Star break, if he can stay healthy enough to get there. Casas has not delivered at the plate or in the field since his breakout 2023 campaign. He has one of the best eyes in the league, sporting a career 13.7 percent walk rate, almost doubling the league average of 8.4 percent. He rarely chases balls outside of the zone but struggles to make solid contact on hittable pitches in the zone. With his complete lack of speed, Casas relies on barreling the ball and making good contact on every hit, something he has struggled to do since 2023.
Casas is an eccentric personality who brings life to a clubhouse, especially in the dog days of July and August when the season starts to stall. However, when his numbers do not deliver, it is hard to justify his presence as a positive for the team. Casas is a non-factor in fielding and base running, and when he hits below the Mendoza line for the season, it is hard to justify even giving him a spot on the 40-man roster.
Although Breslow’s front office has appeared competitive and willing to spend, Casas has still been given a longer leash than most (besides maybe Bobby Dalbec). Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber, the former Red Sox slugger, are the two most obvious options at first base if the Sox want to invest in the position. Schwarber’s stocky left handed swing and jaw dropping power led to a .297 average with a .957 OPS for the Sox in his limited rental stint in 2021.
Schwarber is a unique talent and after a 2025 campaign that included an MVP run, 56 home runs and 132 RBI, the 32 year old is due for a major pay raise. His projected contract will be around five years and $150 million. That is a price John Henry and the front office should heavily consider to provide another power bat to the power depleted lineup after the Devers trade. With so many talented players committed to the current squad, the front office should invest in reuniting Schwarber with Fenway and making a real run for the pennant.