With Triston Casas now expected to miss the remainder of the season following a serious knee injury, the Boston Red Sox once again have a big hole to fill in their lineup.
The Red Sox have a few internal options to fill that void at first base for now. Abraham Toro was recalled from Triple-A, and is expected to platoon with Romy Gonzalez at first base for the time being. However, a future promotion for Vaughn Grissom could be in the works if the team is comfortable with his development as he learns the position.
But Boston should also look outside its own organization for first base help in Casas' absence. At the very least, they are now in need of better organizational depth at the position. Luckily, there are several familiar veteran options that should be available through trades or free agency.
Anthony Rizzo
Anthony Rizzo might be the most obvious veteran name for the Red Sox to consider. Rizzo is a three-time All Star and one of the most respected veterans in the game. He has spent the last three full seasons as the everyday first baseman for the New York Yankees when healthy, following nearly a decade as a cornerstone of the Chicago Cubs' lineup. But he went unsigned as a free agent this offseason, and remains unsigned today.
Rizzo's numbers were down over the past two seasons, but he had to deal with some well-documented injury problems in those years. That includes unknowingly playing through a concussion for much of the 2023 season.
Rizzo performed better in the postseason last year, slashing .267/.421/.300 during New York's run to the World Series. And as recently as 2022, Rizzo slugged 32 home runs while posting an .817 OPS. In total, Rizzo has 303 home runs in over 1,700 career games.
The disadvantage to bringing in Rizzo is that he would require more time to get in shape. Rizzo has not played in a competitive game since the Yankees lost Game 5 of the World Series last year. If the Sox bring him in, he would likely require several weeks to ramp up before he would be ready to appear in a Major League game.
Nobody would expect a 35-year old Anthony Rizzo to put up the MVP numbers that he was capable of in his prime. But, as a lefty, he would provide a natural platoon option for Romy Gonzalez at first base, while also offering greater upside than the options currently on the roster.
Rizzo is also a highly respected veteran who could provide leadership in the clubhouse. Signing Rizzo would also be a homecoming for him, as the Red Sox originally drafted him in 2007 before trading him in 2010 to the San Diego Padres as part of the Adrian Gonzalez trade.
Trey Mancini
Trey Mancini is a familiar name from the AL East, as he spent several years as one of the bright spots on some bad Baltimore Orioles teams. Mancini did not play at all in 2024 after failing to secure a roster spot anywhere. But he has come back for 2025, signing a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks before Spring Training.
While he failed to crack the Opening Day roster, Mancini has hit well in Triple-A to start the year. In 30 games for Arizona's Triple-A affiliate in Reno, Mancini is slashing .280/.336/.456 with 4 home runs. That solid performance is more impressive when you consider that he was out of baseball entirely last year.
Mancini's most recent Major League experience, however, was underwhelming. He struggled to a .234/.299/.336 slash line with the Chicago Cubs for half a season in 2023 before being released. But in the two years prior to that, Mancini provided slightly above league-average offensive production for Baltimore and the Houston Astros. For his career, Mancini owns a slash line of .263/.328/.448 with 129 home runs in 831 games.
Bringing in Mancini would require a trade with the Diamondbacks, who currently have Josh Naylor locked in as their starting first baseman, and Pavin Smith as another option already on the Major League roster.
So they could view Mancini as an expendable depth piece. If such a deal can come together, Mancini represents another respected veteran with a long track record of success at the Major League level who could fill in right away for Boston.
Ty France
Ty France is currently the everyday first baseman for the Minnesota Twins. He is also a free agent at the end of this year. With the Twins off to a rough start this year, they could very likely look to sell off some pieces at the trade deadline this summer. Moving France would be a no-brainer in that scenario.
It would also be a bit of a cruel coincidence if France ends up being the long-term Casas' replacement this year, as it was France himself who was covering first on the play on which Casas got injured. But there's a good chance that France may end up being the best first base option available at this year's deadline. And if that is the case, the Red Sox should be first in line for his services.
France has been a quietly productive player for several years now, bouncing between four different teams. Since his first full season in 2021, France has a slash line of .263/.338/.404 with 66 home runs. His numbers to start this season (.264/.338/.397) are right in line with his career performance.
The downside of targeting France is that he will probably not be available right away, if at all. While Minnesota is off to a slow start this year, they can still remain competitive in the AL Central. But if they are unable to turn their season around as we get later into the summer, France will surely be available at the trade deadline.
The price to acquire Ty France may also be relatively steep when compared to other options. Yet, as a half-year rental, he could end up being the exact piece the Red Sox need as they aim to contend for a championship.