Triston Casas has open path to Boston Red Sox starting role

It was a matter of time before the Boston Red Sox moved on from Eric Hosmer. He had been sent to Boston as a straight salary dump, with the Red Sox paying just the league minimum for his services as San Diego covered the rest. That continued to be the case when Hosmer opted in to the final three years and $39 million of his long term deal with the Padres.

That decision also made it inevitable that the Red Sox would move on. That time came on Friday when the Red Sox designated Hosmer for assignment, and, in doing so, opened a path for Triston Casas.

Boston Red Sox set to give Triston Casas long look

It was clear that Hosmer was not going to be part of the Red Sox future. He appeared in just 14 games after being acquired, producing a .244/.320/.311 batting line with three doubles in his 50 plate appearances. With Casas waiting in the wings, Hosmer was simply a stopgap.

Casas did nothing to change that perception during his time in Triple-A in 2022. He produced a .273/.382/.481 batting line in his 317 plate appearances, hitting 11 homers and 20 doubles. That production led to Casas getting a look in the majors over the final few weeks, as he posted a .197/.358/.408 batting line with five homers and a double in 95 plate appearances.

While it may be fair to wonder if Casas could use more time in Triple-A to begin the 2023 campaign, that may be a moot point. Unless the Red Sox bring in a player such as Trey Mancini, who can play first and the corner outfield positions, it will be on Casas to sink or swim in Boston. The power is certainly evident; it is just a matter of everything else coming together.

The Boston Red Sox are ready to welcome the next wave of talent to the majors. Triston Casas has been handed a direct path to playing time.