The Boston Red Sox have begun building the next core of the team — it's clear with the extension of Brayan Bello and the news of extension talks with Triston Casas.
But contract extension discussions with Casas aren't going as well as they did with Bello. In February, Casas admitted that his talks with the Sox to that point hadn't resulted in anything "enticing."
It's been reported that Boston and Casas' team have been chatting back and forth at an accelerated pace since Bello's extension. Just this weekend, the first baseman revealed there have been offers from the Red Sox, but that he and his team have denied them.
“My team, my agency, didn’t seem to think that the dollar amount the Red Sox put forward was the value that see in me as a player," Casas said to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. "I don’t particularly know what my value is as a player, so I can’t really argue with the professionals in my agency are saying.”
"I hope to be a part of the future for the team for a really long time."
— NESN (@NESN) March 25, 2024
Triston Casas wanted to clarify one thing to Red Sox fans while undergoing a contract negotiation period with Boston's front office.https://t.co/OGbrFykPjm
Casas has said on multiple occasions that he hopes to be a Red Sox for life and that he is open to an extension at any point, it just has to be the right deal. The 24-year-old won't be a free agent until the 2028-29 offseason, but if he continues to play like he did in the second half of last season, his value, and therefore his price, will only increase.
Despite Casas saying he's open to signing the right deal at any point, he's also said that the team will have a better sense of his value after he plays well for an entire season.
Red Sox seem to have lowballed Triston Casas in extension talks
This double play by Triston Casas 😯 pic.twitter.com/H2sYwVVYiE
— MLB (@MLB) March 24, 2024
“We’re going to get a little better read after this year. Hopefully I play a full, healthy season to be able to contribute to the team and to wins, and to give them a better gauge as to what my value might be long term,” he said.
By the sounds of it, the front office lowballed Casas in its offers. The first baseman knows his value is bound to increase, and it seems like he plans to take advantage of it, which may scare Sox fans, and rightfully so.
Boston has fumbled multiple high-profile contract extensions in the past — Red Sox Nation does not need any reminding of them. But any delay in Casas' extension discussions can create concern among fans.
The Sox have years to keep Casas in Boston for the majority of his career, but they should look to get a deal done sooner rather than later. If Casas' value spikes too much for the stingy front office to be willing to spend on, the Red Sox may lose (or sour the relationship with) another star player and A+ personality.