Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas suffered a ruptured left patellar tendon on a play at first base during Friday night’s win over the Minnesota Twins (BOS 6, MIN 1), the team announced on Saturday. The Red Sox are not expecting Casas back this season, as he’ll require surgery to repair the tendon.
The Red Sox placed Casas on the injured list on Saturday and, in a direct corresponding move, brought up veteran infielder Abraham Toro from Triple-A Worcester.
Casas suffered the injury when he hit first base awkwardly trying to beat out an infield single in the second inning. He hit the bag and immediately crumbled to the ground, grabbing his left knee. Casas had to be carted off the field. Here’s the play:
This is the second major injury in as many years for Casas. He missed four months with a rib fracture last season. Casas has started this season slowly (Friday’s 0 for 1 dropped him to .182/.277/.303) but he is the only natural first baseman on Boston’s 40-man roster. Utility man Romy Gonzalez replaced Casas in Friday’s game. It was his 29th career game at the position.
The Red Sox could in time try Rafael Devers or top prospect Roman Anthony at first base, though neither player has ever played the position as a professional, and learning it on the fly during the season is a lot to ask. Devers has played DH exclusively this year now that Alex Bregman is at the hot corner. Anthony is baseball’s top prospect and an outfielder.
Triston Casas injury: Examining Red Sox’s first base options, including Roman Anthony and trade candidates
R.J. Anderson
“I think just given his age, there’s still an opportunity for him to develop in the outfield. Until you feel like that’s in a place where there isn’t just a massive opportunity cost to taking reps away, that’s where he should be focused,” Red Sox CBO Craig Breslow told the Boston Globe earlier this week about possibly moving Anthony to first base. “And also I think, obviously, at some point he’s going to be impacting our major league team, and to throw another variable into the mix probably doesn’t make a ton of sense when that transition in and of itself can be difficult at times. So, try to simplify, try to keep him where he’s comfortable. And if that’s a conversation we need to have 10 years from now, then great.”
Plans change, and the Casas injury could convince the Red Sox to try Anthony at first base. They have a full outfield with Jarren Duran in left, Ceddanne Rafaela in center, and the Wilyer Abreu/Rob Refsnyder platoon in right. Anthony, 20, is hitting .290/.422/.527 with five home runs and nearly as many walks (22) as strikeouts (25) in Triple-A this year.
Friday’s win improved the Red Sox to 18-16 on the season.