Triston Casas, the Red Sox’ power-hitting lefty first baseman, has been believed to be off the trade block for the team, as Boston looks to upgrade over its last three seasons and move back into contention. As recently as last month, Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow denied reports that the team would trade Casas, who will turn 25 before the 2025 season gets underway.
“I’m not sure where that’s coming from,” said Breslow at the November baseball General Managers’ Meetings. “Casas is a guy that we think has 40-home run potential. He’s young and also has a great strike zone discipline and controls an at-bat. We’re excited he’s on our team.”
Report: Red Sox Have Offered Casas in Trade For Pitcher
But the situation may be changing. According to a report Saturday by Red Sox insider Alex Speier, the team is not only open to trading Casas but may even have already held trade talks with the 2018 first-round draft pick’s name on the table.
“According to multiple major league sources, the Red Sox have been open to using Casas as a trade chip for pitching help,” Speier wrote in the Boston Globe. “An executive for one American League club said the Sox offered Casas as a headliner in talks about one of that team’s arms.”
Speier added that by including Casas in trade talks, the Red Sox were able to avoid making available 2024 outfield Gold Glove winner — and 6th-place Rookie of the Year finisher — Wilyer Abreu. Boston also was able to keep their coveted “Big Four” minor league prospects out of trade discussions as well.
Those prospects are shortstop Marcelo Mayer, outfielder Roman Anthony — rated the top prospect in baseball by Baseball America — catcher and 2023 first-round pick Kyle Teel, and second baseman Kristian Campbell. According to Speier, the Red Sox consider Anthony and Campbell in particular to be untouchable.
Brewers’ Devin Williams Could Fill Boston Closer Vacancy
So, who was the “arm” for whom the Red Sox reportedly offered Casas in trade? In the American League, the obvious answer would be Chicago White Sox lefty ace Garret Crochet — a pitcher being sought in trade by multiple clubs this offseason.
But there is another arm, this one in the National League, who has also been named as trade target for the Red Sox. As much as Boston needs to bolster its starting rotation, the team is also in need of a closer after the departure of future Hall of Famer Kenley Jansen.
The Red Sox signed veteran, 36-year-old flamethrower Aroldis Chapman to a one-year, $10.75b million contract last week. But Chapman is considered too inconsistent with his strike-throwing to hold down the closer’s role.
The Milwaukee Brewers’ Devin Williams, however, has one year remaining on his contract with the team, and has long been considered a trade target for the Red Sox. If the Red Sox can extend his contract, SpoTrac sets his market value as a relatively economical $70.4 million over five years for the 30-year-old.
Breslow has emphasized the need for Red Sox pitchers to get more swings and misses. Williams, who saved 36 games for Milwaukee in 2023, had a swing-and-miss rate of 40 percent in 2024, well above the league average of just under 25 percent, according to Baseball Savant. He also came in below the average rate for balls hit off the barrell of the bat, at 5 percent, compared to 7 percent league-wide.
After losing Willy Adames and his 32 home runs in free agency to the San Francisco Giants, the Brewers will need power from the middle of their batting order. Casas has belted 42 home runs in 717 Major League at-bats, demonstrating that he could replace Adames’s production easily, if both the Red Sox and Brewers are willing to make that trade.
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Red Sox Triston Casas Trade Prediction: Deal For This $70 Million Bullpen Arm