The Red Sox have been without the power-hitting first baseman since last May after a gruesome knee injury.
It had been 417 days since first baseman Triston Casas was in the lineup for the Boston Red Sox after rupturing his left patellar tendon while running out a ground ball. Could the power that the 26-year-old first baseman provides be the missing piece for a struggling Boston offense?
Casas' return was slowed in early April after suffering an abdominal injury while beginning a hitting progression. According to Tim Healey of the Boston Globe, the former first-round pick has resumed a hitting progression, beginning with soft toss and tee work.
Could Casas be the missing piece?
The Red Sox are one of the worst offenses in baseball by nearly every metric, but they are especially thin in the power department. Entering Monday night's series opener in Colorado, the Boston offense ranks 27th in slugging percentage (.381), 29th in isolated power (.137), and 29th in home runs (64).
Of course, if there is one thing Casas is known for, it's his major power potential. Before his major league debut in 2022, MLB Pipeline graded Casas' power 65 on the 20-80 scouting grade scale, making him one of the best power-hitting prospects in the game.
However, Casas has been unable to stay on the field in his brief time in the majors, missing much of the 2024 season after tearing cartilage in his left rib cage, limiting him to only 63 games. Then, of course, there was the gruesome injury he suffered in May 2025, tearing his left patellar tendon, ending his 2025 season after just 29 games.
As a result of the injuries, the now 26-year-old has struggled to get into a rhythm at the plate, hitting just .222/.318/.412/.730 with 16 home runs, 11 doubles, and 43 RBI in 92 games over the last two seasons, struggling particularly in 2025, hitting a paltry .182 before the injury.
However, in his last full season, 2023, Casas played 132 games, hitting .263/.367/.490/.857 with 24 home runs and 65 RBI. His isolated power of .226 ranked 26th among all qualified players for the season.
Casas has struggled mightily defensively at first base, posting a -11 defensive runs saved, -13 outs above average, and -11 fielding run value in nearly 2000 innings at the position. The Red Sox, of course, have first base occupied by Willson Contreras, who has been their best and most consistent hitter at the plate.
However, the Boston offense has struggled to get much production from the designated hitter spot. In the Red Sox' first 75 games, their designated hitters have combined for a weighted runs created+ (wRC+) of 88, which is 22 percent worse than league average production at the position.
Given Boston's struggles to get production from the DH and Casas' defensive struggles at first, paired with the presence of Willson Contreras, there may be no better player to fill that void than Casas, who, when healthy, has proven that he can be a good power hitter in the heart of a major league lineup.
The 26-year-old still has a long way to go in his rehab before returning to the Boston lineup, but he just may be part of the solution for a lineup that is in dire need of a spark.
The Red Sox are 31-44 and in last place in the American League East.
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