The Boston Red Sox filled a glaring void at the first base position Sunday, acquiring veteran Willson Contreras in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals.
That void existed because Triston Casas’ future with the club is uncertain. The soon-to-be 26-year-old played in only 29 games last season before suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in May. Injuries also plagued him throughout the 2024 season, limiting him to only 63 games.
So, does the Contreras addition leave Casas without a role for 2026? Not necessarily.
With Contreras expected to begin next season as the Red Sox’ primary first baseman, Casas will have time to shake off the rust in Triple-A. The former top prospect still has minor-league options remaining.
If and when he returns to the big-league club, the left-handed-hitting Casas could split first base and designated hitter duties with the right-handed Contereras. Since Contreras is the superior defender, Casas in the DH spot would make sense if he can regain his 2023 form.
Casas’ path to an MLB return should become clearer in spring training when other question marks on the roster are addressed. For instance, Masataka Yoshida remains in the mix as a DH option, and the surplus of outfielders further complicates matters. Jarren Duran has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason, but he’s another candidate to spend time at DH if he isn’t moved.
Craig Breslow and Co. could look to trade Casas, but given his injuries and lack of production over the last two years, his value couldn’t be much lower. Allowing the 2018 first-rounder to play his way back into an MLB role is the most reasonable solution, and the well-rounded Contreras provides the Red Sox with that flexibility.
Contreras, 33, will bring much-needed right-handed pop to Boston’s lineup. Excluding the shortened 2020 campaign, he has hit at least 20 homers in six of nine seasons. The former catcher notched career highs in doubles (31) and RBI (80) last season while posting a .791 OPS in 135 games.
Contreras is a solid addition, but the Red Sox should still aggressively pursue at least one more big bat this winter. They can still re-sign third baseman Alex Bregman, although their odds of doing so seem to only be getting worse. Free-agent infielder Bo Bichette is another intriguing option, and they have also been linked to Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, free-agent slugger Eugenio Suarez, and Houston Astros infielder Isaac Paredes.
