The Boston Red Sox's 40-man roster is packed before they've made any offseason additions. Boston has many tough roster choices to make, especially before the November 20 non-tender deadline.
The Red Sox will have to determine Triston Casas' fate before then. The first baseman didn't appear in a single game — major or minor league — in 2026 due to multiple injuries, a running theme of his young career so far. His health troubles have put him at risk of being non-tendered.
But the Red Sox shouldn't act on that decision too hastily. While Casas hasn't proved that he can stay on the field long-term, his injuries have been freak accidents rather than results of reckless play or improper technique — in 2024, the cartilage in his ribs separated from his ribcage on a hard swing, then he experienced a non-contact knee injury while running and most recently underwent arthroscopic surgery on his wrist. His time on the sidelines is no doubt unfortunate, but also not his fault.
When healthy, Casas has exhibited a penchant for power. When he was an American League Rookie of the Year finalist in 2023 (yes, a long time ago now), Casas posted a .857 OPS and 24 home runs over 132 games.
Red Sox should keep Triston Casas around for one more year as they're desperate for power in their lineup
A power bat is the singlemost pressing item on Boston's offseason to-do list. The Red Sox were one of the worst home run-hitting teams this season with 163 home runs on the year. Even if the Sox add a slugger to their lineup, they could use even more help. A healthy Casas is a good option.
Casas has three minor league options left on his contract. If he can get healthy this season, the Red Sox should keep him in Triple-A to get some game reps in. If he performs well and returns to slugging form or if there are injuries in Boston's infield, it can call him up as a depth piece.
If by some miracle Casas can stay healthy and return to his 2023 form, he could be a key slugger in Boston's lineup. Some shuffling would be required since Willson Contreras is now the everyday first baseman, but it's now pretty safe to say that the "rotating designated hitter" strategy that the Red Sox have tried in recent seasons doesn't work. Contreras is the stronger defender between the two, making Casas the better candidate for the DH job. Again, only if he proves himself after some time in the minor leagues.
As it stands as of this writing, the Red Sox have more than enough money to afford Casas' $1.7 million expected salary (the updated CBA could change a lot, but the non-tender deadline comes before its expiration date). Boston should give him one more chance to recover and get back to his slugging self. It needs the power enough to try.
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