Throughout the offseason, the Boston Red Sox gave a series of positive updates on Triston Casas' knee injury healing process. The first baseman was taking swings in minor league games and working up to baserunning drills before the team announced that he'd remain in Fort Myers for additional rehab before a rehab assignment with a minor league affiliate.
But during the first full week of the big league season, the Red Sox had to shut Casas down again, and it has nothing to do with his knee. While swinging off a tee, Casas reported some rib discomfort, an intercostal strain, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.
Red Sox shut Triston Casas down with rib discomfort as knee injury rehab continues
Casas will go for imaging on his ribs to determine the extent of his injury. He sustained a rib cartilage tear early in the 2024 season and missed over 60 games healing it — hopefully, his latest ailment is a separate issue and not a lingering one from a long-term injury nearly two years ago.
The Red Sox's lineup could desperately use a jolt of power and a healthy Casas could ostensibly provide it. But as his knee injury lingers and new ones pop up, Boston's trade for Willson Contreras looks better by the day.
Red Sox place Justin Slaten on 15-day IL with oblique strain, which he feels is minor
After the Sox's third win of the year on April 7, Alex Cora announced that Justin Slaten didn't pitch because he was experiencing oblique soreness. On April 8, Boston placed him on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to April 5, with an oblique strain.
According to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, Slaten believes his strain is minor and he hopes he needs the minimum IL stint. He said he first experienced some soreness after pitching on back-to-back days on April 3 and 4 against the San Diego Padres.
The Red Sox called Tyler Samaniego up to take Slaten's roster spot. Boston acquired Samaniego from the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Johan Oviedo trade. The lefty posted a great spring training and didn't allow a run with six strikeouts and two walks over 5.1 innings pitched. In Triple-A, he's allowed two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks over 5.1 frames.
Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval advancing toward Red Sox 2026 debuts
Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval are at similar stages of their respective injury recoveries. Both pitchers are working to return from injuries that kept them on the sidelines all of last season.
Sandoval is slated to make his first rehab start with Triple-A Worcester on April 8. Crawford will throw a bullpen session at Fenway Park on the same day, and if it goes well, he's expected to make his first rehab start with the WooSox on April 12, according to Cotillo. Both will likely need full rehab assignments, or close to it, before they're activated.
The Red Sox have plenty of starting pitching depth, so they haven't rushed Crawford or Sandoval's rehab. However, their impending return is a great sign as Boston awaits Oviedo's imaging results after he injured his elbow.