The Boston Red Sox are in desperate need of solutions at first base following a catastrophic knee injury to Triston Casas last Friday. It was a freak non-contact injury, with Casas' foot getting stuck on the bag as he attempted to beat out a chopper at first base. He was soon after diagnosed with a torn left patellar tendon; that's enough to end his season.
Romy Gonzalez has emerged as the immediate solution, but Boston would be wise to seek out depth options at the very least. There are plenty of theoretical solutions. The Red Sox can stick Rafael Devers at first. Perhaps Trevor Story is due for a position change. How about WooSox standout Vaughn Grissom? Or... what about an out-of-house option?
Boston can look beyond the walls of Fenway Park, whether it's a trade or a free agent. Since Casas is bound to reclaim first base duties next season, the Red Sox aren't going to sacrifice premium assets for a premium player. It's far more likely that we see Boston poke around the remaining free agent market.
Enter former New York Yankees first baseman and longtime Chicago Cubs star Anthony Rizzo, who's available to the next needy team.
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Red Sox could target former Yankees 1B Anthony Rizzo to replace Triston Casas
Anthony Rizzo has yet to latch on with a team for the 2025 campaign. There's a reason for that — great players don't last deep into the regular season without a contract — but even with reasonable concern over his readiness to contribute and what his ceiling is at 35 years old, Rizzo ought to appeal to Boston out of sheer desperation. And maybe a bit of pettiness.
Few things are more satisfying for Red Sox fans than tormenting the Yankees. If Rizzo were to sign in Boston and recapture some of his old magic, it would both help Boston stay afloat in the standings and force New York fans to reevaluate their chaotic offseason.
That said, it's far more likely that Rizzo's late-career slide continues. He finished last season with a middling .228 batting average and .637 OPS, cracking eight home runs across 92 games. He's a disciplined hitter in terms of approach, but Rizzo's batted-ball metrics were in the gutter last season and he's no longer a Gold Glove presence in the field.
This would qualify as nothing short of a gamble from the Boston front office. There's a good chance Rizzo becomes more of a platoon or backup option than an everyday replacement at first base. On the other hand, this is a former All-Star, Gold Glove winner and World Series champ who finished top-10 in NL MVP voting three times with Chicago. The talent is there, and Rizzo's reputation is well-earned.
If Boston doesn't feel comfortable pulling Vaughn Grissom back to the big-league stage, maybe Rizzo is work a trial run.