The Boston Red Sox, after a disappointing ending to their season, must navigate a tricky offseason.
There are a few Red Sox names that are heavily under the microscope as we approach the start of free agency.
Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe predicts one of those names, first baseman Triston Casas, will be non-tendered.
Casas is arbitration-eligible in 2027, and while a fan favorite, he should be considered to be on the outs with the organization.
This would be an unthinkable proposition just a couple of years ago. However, Casas hasn’t played a major league game in 17 months due to a litany of injuries. This will be closer to two years after the expected lockout.
Why Would the Boston Red Sox Cut Casas?
Casas was a fan favorite and considered to be a part of Boston’s future not too long ago. However, Abraham lays out why he sees Casas as a 40-man roster cut.
“Triston Casas would not be costly at $1.7 million (according to MLB Trade Rumors’ projections),” Abraham wrote. “But the 40-man roster spot could be more valuable at this stage, given that he has not appeared in a game since May 2, 2025, because of injuries.”
The Red Sox drafted Casas in the first round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of high school. He debuted in 2022, playing in 27 games, but underwhelmed.
In 2023, he would play 132 games, hitting 24 home runs with a .263/.367/.490 slash line. He was a finalist for American League Rookie of the Year, finishing third. Casas seemed to be on his way to stardom. That seems like ancient history considering where his career has gone since.
He has played 92 games since that season, including no games since May of 2025, when he tore his patellar tendon.
In addition to recovering from the devastating knee injury, Casas has dealt with an intercostal strain and then a wrist injury that required arthroscopic surgery in August.
What’s Next for the Team and Casas?
Now that Boston has Willson Contreras entrenched at first base, Casas is no longer needed. He would be competing for at-bats at designated hitter, but the Red Sox already have a ton of lefty bats. That is, if he ever returns from injury.
The Red Sox have seven players on the 60-day injured list, including Casas. So it won’t be a surprise when some tough decisions happen. There’s also the possibility that Boston trades him for basically nothing, rather than non-tendering him.
His value would likely be so low currently that any interested team would have the means to acquire him. While he would come cheap in arbitration due to his injury history, it’s tough to imagine a team would give up more than cash or a low-level prospect in any deal.
Casas will not be a free agent until after the 2028 season, but his career could very well be in jeopardy, and his time with Boston could be over.
Red Sox Could Non-Tender Fan Favorite Amid Roster Crunch