Triston Casas injury update has Red Sox concerned for the long-term

On Saturday, Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas fouled a ball off of his rib cage in a game against the Pirates. He stayed in the game and drew a walk in his next plate appearance, but was later taken out. On Sunday, Boston placed him on the 10-Day IL with a left rib strain.

Although he stayed in the game after getting hurt, it sounds as if the injury is worse than expected. When asked on Saturday about the status of Casas, manager Alex Cora had this to say:

He’s not doing OK. They’re checking on him right now. You got the report from everybody so they’re checking on him. We’ll know more over the course of the night."

On Sunday, Cora said that the concern is that it will be a lengthy absence, and that the team will meet on Monday to discuss everything further. Although Casas himself did say he was in a lot of pain and that he will be getting an MRI in Boston on Monday.

While the timetable and the extent of the injury is not yet known, the loss of Casas is already a big blow to a team with injuries to Tyler O'Neill, Trevor Story and Nick Pivetta already.

Who will be the Red Sox replacement for Triston Casas?

Filling the hole that Casas leaves will not be easy. In 2023, he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting, clubbing 24 homers and posting a 129 OPS+. He was also fourth in walk percentage among all first baseman.

So far in 2024, he had played every game and was second to Tyler O'Neill in OPS+ on the Red Sox with a 141 mark. In his young career, he has already proven himself as one of the cornerstones of Boston's future. With 25+ homer power and great plate discipline, the 24-year-old looks like one of the better first baseman in the league.

That leaves Boston with a difficult task ahead. Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reported that Bobby Dalbec and Pablo Reyes will replace Casas for now.

It's been a struggle for Dalbec this season, with just one hit in 26 at-bats so far, coming off of a year where he only played in 21 games and hit .204 with one home run. He hit 25 home runs in 2021, but hasn't earned consistent playing time since them, so this is his chance.

Reyes has played more than Dalbec this year, but hasn't performed very well either. He's hit .167 in 44 at-bats so far with no home runs and a double, leading him to a 14 OPS+. Reyes performed well in a utility role for Boston in 2023, hitting .287 in 64 games. While he doesn't provide much power, he could still find his way in the lineup if he's not playing first.

There are also a couple options on the market that standout right now. For one, Brandon Belt is still a free agent. Belt is coming off a fantastic season in his lone year with Toronto, where he hit 19 home runs in 103 games where he split time between first base and designated hitter. Although he is 36, a player coming off a year where he posted a 136 OPS+ should not still be un-signed. He could fit seamlessly into the Red Sox lineup at a cheap cost.

Another intriguing option is Jared Walsh, who was recently designated for assignment by the Texas Rangers. While he has struggled since his 29 home run, All-Star season in 2021, there still might be more upside with Walsh than they would get from Dalbec or Reyes.

With Rafael Devers dealing with injuries of his own, Casas facing a possible long-term IL stint puts Boston in a difficult position in a loaded division. They're sticking in house for replacements for now, but that may not last long if they start to fall behind even more.