Triston Casas' contract extension comments show his Red Sox gamble didn't work out
The Boston Red Sox's front office approached breakout star first baseman Triston Casas and his agents about a contract extension last year.
The then-23-year-old posted a 25-homer season in his first full year in the big leagues, and plenty of Sox fans called for an extension for Casas. But his team rejected every offer, and he chose to bet on himself to play even better in 2024.
The slugger missed four months of action due to a rib cartilage injury, and his plans to post a better season than last year did not come to fruition. Casas shared his thoughts on a potential contract extension on the Sept. 29 edition of Rob Bradford's "Baseball Isn't Boring" podcast.
"I didn't have a year this year, I didn't put up any numbers that would merit an extension like that," Casas said. "I think if I was a front office representative, I'd need to see more out of myself, for sure, and I'm not expecting any offer that would pique my interest."
Triston Casas shares updated outlook on a potential extension with Red Sox
Not only did Casas spend four months of the season rehabbing his rib issue, he fell cold at the plate after his return. He batted .241/.337/.462 with a .799 OPS with 13 homers and 32 RBI over 63 games this year, with a .194/.299/.398 slash line in his final 30 games.
Casas' statement makes it seem there's little to no chance of him signing an extension this winter, which could put his future with the Red Sox in jeopardy. The young lefty has been named as an ideal trade candidate as Boston's pursuit of high-quality pitching and offensive talent kicks off this offseason. The Red Sox have embraced Casas as a player and personality, though, so he could still be a top candidate for an extension when he's ready.