2025 Red Sox and MLB Thread

BOSTON — A month and a day after suffering a gruesome knee injury that ended his season after just 29 games, Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas didn’t sugarcoat the impact of having a second consecutive year cut short by a significant injury.

“I’m living my worst nightmare right now,” said Casas, on crutches in Boston’s clubhouse Tuesday. “This is the worst-case scenario for any type of player, to go through a recovery that’s double digit-months long. But going through it now, I feel like I’m gonna be better as a consequence of it."

On May 2, Casas was trying to beat out a dribbler down the first base line when his left foot planted awkwardly on the base line and he immediately crumpled to the ground in pain. Unable to get up, Casas called for a cart and was immediately taken to an area hospital. The diagnosis was a significant one: a full rupture of the patellar tendon in his left knee.

Within 48 hours, Casas had surgery and began a rehab process that’ll take multiple months. He hopes to ditch his crutches in a couple weeks before begging to do mobility training, likely at the Sox’ complex in Fort Myers. He has one goal in mind when it comes to a return date.

“I’ve heard different amount of months,” Casas said. “I haven’t heard anything over a year though. As of right now, our goal is Opening Day next year. Just gonna take it slow.

“I’m gonna spend the winter in Fort Myers, rehabbing, and until then, just try to stay in a positive mindset. I know there’s a lot of healing that’s done that’s outside of the training table. Just trying to take it one day at a time, be positive and maintain a good head space is gonna be important as well."

Patellar tears are unusual for baseball players and are seen more often in offensive linemen who bear a lot of weight. Casas noted that former Red Sox pitcher Garrett Richards, who suffered a similar injury on the Fenway Park field as a member of the Angels in 2014, has provided support from afar. Casas is confident he will be able to make a full recovery in time.


“They’re very confident,“ Casas said about his medical team. ”I talked to my surgeon and he said it was almost the best-case scenario, just with how everything almost completely detached. Once you’re dealing with having to mend back tendons together, you’re dealing with microfibers. To have a complete rupture is almost the best-case scenario. They said that I’m gonna make a full recovery."

Casas has watched the video of the fateful play and has no regrets.

“I looked at the video and, obviously I didn’t mean to kick Ty France,“ he said, referencing Minnesota’s first baseman. ”That’s something playing first base I’d never do. So my foot slipped on that step before. I think I went to a range of motion I wasn’t comfortable with and I never came down. Tried to catch myself with that foot after the step after the bag and just didn‘t.

“It’s just part of the game. It’s part of running hard down the line. It’s part of just playing the game how you feel like it should be. I wouldn’t have changed anything about it. That was just a move that I’ve done thousands of times. I can’t say I would’ve done anything differently or I have any regrets about it. It’s just onward from here."

On impact, Casas feared his season was over.

“I (knew) pretty much immediately,” he said. “It felt somebody hit me with a sledgehammer as I was running by ... I knew something happened. I didn’t even really wanna move from that laying down position. I just asked our trainer to get me a cart. I knew something wasn’t normal. I tried to stay calm, but I knew it was pretty severe.”

For now, Casas — on pace with his recovery — is taking his work one day at a time, doing range-of-motion exercises with his hips and quads and getting treatment from the medical staff at Fenway Park. With nearly 10 months to go before Opening Day, he knows there are obstacles ahead of him. Making things more difficult is that the Red Sox have struggled in his absence and enter Tuesday four games under .500 at 29-33.

“Physically, it’s gonna be the toughest thing that I’ve gone through so far in my career," Casas said. "A lot of anger, a lot of frustration. I had a lot of goals for myself this year that I’m not gonna be able to accomplish. So back to the drawing board. I’ll have a full offseason to recover and get back to the caliber of player I hope on being and let’s try to attack it next year."
 

The Boston Red Sox are in fourth place in the American League East and could end up being sellers by the time the July 31 trade deadline approaches. They reportedly have received some trade interest for All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran.

Duran was an All-Star last year, but may be the odd man out in Boston. The team has Ceddanne Rafaela signed to a long-term extension and Wilyer Abreu under team control until 2030. Sooner or later, they are going to have to make a move to get Roman Anthony in the big leagues. Duran has the most trade value and is older than his fellow outfielders.

If Duran is available, many teams, not just contenders, could be picking up the phones to try and get him. However, Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer proposed this trade that would send him to the Detroit Tigers.

  • Red Sox receive: RHP Jackson Jobe and SS Bryce Rainer (Tigers No. 3 prospect)
  • Tigers receive: OF Jarren Duran
"They ought to be in World Series or bust mode after a 40-22 start to the year, and adding Duran would further super-charge an offense that has been a pleasant surprise," wrote Rymer. "It needs Duran's speed, as the Tigers' 21 stolen bases are the fewest in MLB. Because the Tigers are set with Riley Greene in left field, Duran could take over in center and put a stop to a revolving door that has seen seven players start at the position. This would free Javier Báez up to be a proper super-utility man."

Boston Red Sox, outfielder, Jarren Duran

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 27: First base coach José David Flores #58 of the Boston Red Sox holds back Jarren Duran #16 as Duran yells at a fan during the seventh inning against the Cleveland... More Nick Cammett/Getty Images
The Tigers went on an improbable run to the postseason last year, going 39-26 in the second half and reaching Game 5 of the American League Division Series. They have picked up right where they left off and have the best record in baseball.

They are ahead of the New York Yankees in the American League standings, but adding Duran could really threaten the Yankees' reign as American League champions.

Duran is hitting .273/.318/424 with four home runs and a league-leading six triples. He would add some serious speed to their team on the basepaths and deepen their lineup. If the Yankees watched the Tigers trade for Duran, it could put them in a tough spot for years to come.

Duran is under club control through 2028 and is projected to earn a six-year, $123 million deal on the open market. The Red Sox are unlikely to pay him after paying Rafaela and with Anthony ready to become a pillar of the team.
 
  • Red Sox receive: RHP Jackson Jobe and SS Bryce Rainer (Tigers No. 3 prospect)
  • Tigers receive: OF Jarren Duran


I've seen a bunch of trade suggestions like this, and they seemingly always involve a SS that's a team's high prospect. But that always lead to this:


If Mayer is going to play SS, why would the Red Sox be looking to take back a SS?
 
I've seen a bunch of trade suggestions like this, and they seemingly always involve a SS that's a team's high prospect. But that always lead to this:


If Mayer is going to play SS, why would the Red Sox be looking to take back a SS?

Ded Sux need RH Power at All 4 corners; Not another middle infielder.
 
Ded Sux need RH Power at All 4 corners; Not another middle infielder.

If they've suddenly decided that Mayer is going to be at 3b after this year, then getting a SS makes sense. Outside of that, you're absolutely right, and they should be looking for pitchers and 1b/3b/C prospects, because the rest of the future daily lineup should be set (theoretically):


LF - Anthony
CF - Raphaela
RF - Abreu
3B - TBD
SS - Mayer
2B - Campbell
1B - TBD
C - TBD
DH - Devers


If they keep Bregman, 3B then becomes a filled position. They'll need to either move Durran or keep him as part of a 4 man OF rotation.
 
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