With the 2026 season around the corner, first baseman Triston Casas is the player who has a lot to prove.
For much of the 2025 season, the Boston Red Sox were deprived of what they had hoped would be a foundational middle-of-the-order bat. On May 2, 2025, Casas ruptured his left patellar tendon, which required surgery, prematurely ending his season as he seemed to get off the ground after a slow start in April.
This left Boston scrambling to find a first baseman, which Abraham Toro and late-season signing Nathaniel Lowe eventually filled. Now, as Spring Training games near with players starting camp in Fort Myers, FL, Casas' health and future performance are looming large over Boston's offseason narrative.
All Eyes Are on Triston Casas Before Spring Training
Casas' 2025 was more about frustration than production. Before his injury, he was hitting a whopping .182 in limited at-bats, which was a far cry from the slugger Boston expected when he debuted in 2022 and looked poised to be a cornerstone bat in 2023.
Complicating matters further, Casas' injury came on the heels of multiple setbacks over the previous two seasons, including a lengthy rib injury in 2024 that limited him to 63 games. With repeated injuries impacting his development and consistency, there's no question that Casas enters his spring at a career crossroads.
To put it bluntly: the 2026 season is make-or-break for him. If Casas doesn't perform or gets injured again, the Red Sox may cut their losses.
What Casas needs to prove is his timing and consistency. After missing essentially all of 2025, the first thing Boston needs to see is that he's truly over the physical hurdle that derailed last season. Patellar tendon recoveries can be extensive and delicate, and Casas himself said during his recovery that staying patient and rebuilding strength were his primary focus.
It seems like he's moving well at first base since camp started, so that's a first major positive sign for the club.
What's next is that Casas must prove he still has that offensive rhythm. Even in his limited time before injury, he showed signs of pressing and losing his mechanical timing at the plate. Going into his rehab, hitting and looking comfortable in live at-bats, while also maintaining that when he comes back, will be critical.
Unfortunately, he's not going to start again until the rumored date of May 1, per MLB.com's Ian Browne (h/t @BostonStrong_34), as he's still not 100% healthy.
This means that they need to test his swing before he even starts rehab. How he adjusts to velocity and offspeed throughout will offer further insight into whether he's ahead or behind schedule. Although he has plenty of time left to do that.
Consistency Will Be Key
While the mechanics and timing need work, Casas must also show consistency. Don't expect him to be that way right out of the gate; that's foolish to think. Still, he's already shown that he's mentally ready to get back to doing what he loves most, so the signs are positive on that front.
With the acquisition of Willson Contreras, though, along with Boston's statement that Casas won't be a guaranteed everyday starter when he returns, it puts added pressure on the 25-year-old. Even if he sees time as the designated hitter, he still has to alternate with the likes of Jarren Duran and Masataka Yoshida, mainly due to the poor roster construction set by Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow.
Casas must convince everyone that he can handle regular at-bats. He's entered camp confident, working really hard to get back to the old grind. When he's fully healthy, hopefully, he'll be one of the key contributors to the Red Sox's 2026 season and could be the power source the club will likely lack at the beginning of the season.
The spotlight will be on Casas as one of the most important storylines this season for Boston, so it's time to put up or shut up.