The Purple Sox introduced this morning that they’ve positioned first baseman Triston Casas on the 10-day injured checklist with a ruptured left patellar tendon. He suffered the harm throughout final night time’s recreation. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow says that Casas can have surgical procedure and so they don’t anticipate him again this 12 months, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.
To switch Casas on the lively roster, the workforce has chosen Abraham Toro’s contract from Triple-A Worcester. Boston had an open spot on the 40-man, so no additional corresponding transaction was crucial. In an extra roster transfer, the Purple Sox reinstated Brennan Bernardino from the bereavement checklist and optioned Luis Guerrero to Triple-A.
The Casas information is terrible however unsurprising. He suffered an apparent harm final night time when he hit the primary base bag awkwardly whereas attempting to beat out a grounder. He was down on the bottom in clear ache for a very long time and ultimately was taken off the sector on a stretcher. It appeared probably that he would miss an prolonged time period and that’s now confirmed. He hasn’t but been moved to the 60-day IL however that can occur every time the Sox want a 40-man spot.
The Sox must determine what to do about changing Casas at first base. Breslow says that each one choices are on the desk and he didn’t rule out Rafael Devers taking on, although outfield prospect Roman Anthony or infield prospect Marcelo Mayer are unlikely to be moved to first.
Devers is at present the full-time designated hitter after getting got rid of third base by Alex Bregman. Shifting him into first base and opening the DH spot would assist the membership with some roster crunches elsewhere.
Anthony and Mayer are two of the perfect prospects in baseball, however each are at present in Triple-A and considerably blocked on the large league roster. The Sox at present have an outfield combine consisting of Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela and Rob Refsnyder. The infield has Bregman, Trevor Story and Kristian Campbell at third base, shortstop and second base respectively. Outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida may get into the combo as properly, although he has been battling ongoing shoulder issues and his return timeline is unclear.
With Devers within the DH spot, it’s a little bit of a crowded image. If he have been to take over at first base, that may open issues up and permit varied gamers to rotate by way of the DH spot. Devers has no skilled expertise at first however loads of subpar third basemen have made the transfer throughout the diamond over time. Whereas Breslow appeared to depart the door open to the concept, supervisor Alex Cora downplayed the chance. “From my finish, proper now, no…. he’s my DH,” Cora stated, per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe.
For now, it looks like utility infielder Romy González would be the first try. Cora tells Speier that this is a chance for González “to exit and carry out.” He’s the one Boston participant aside from Casas to have performed first base this 12 months. He’s having an honest season thus far, with a .279/.340/.419 batting line and 113 wRC+. Nevertheless, that comes with no residence runs and a .364 batting common on balls in play. In his 502 profession plate appearances, he has a .246/.277/.390 line and 81 wRC+.
That profession manufacturing could be lower than preferrred manufacturing from first base, which is usually a bat-first place, however the Sox will give it a attempt for now. Maybe they are going to discover some exterior choices within the coming weeks, seeking to make a commerce or seize one other participant off waivers. Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe says that Breslow is certainly trying on the commerce market.
González had beforehand been in a multi-positional position, having additionally performed some second and third base this 12 months. In his profession, he has performed shortstop and the outfield as properly. With him set to turn out to be the membership’s common first baseman for now, Toro has been added so as to add some defensive versatility to the bench.
Toro, 28, signed a minor league take care of the Sox within the offseason. He has been performing properly in Triple-A thus far this 12 months, with a .310/.403/.480 line, although a .392 BABIP is doing him some favors. In his massive league profession, he has performed the three non-shortstop infield positions and the outfield corners. He has all the time hit properly in Triple-A however has a .220/.285/.353 line and 82 wRC+ in 1,298 massive league plate appearances.
Photograph courtesy of Eric Canha, Imagn Photographs
