Two days after placing Triston Casas on the IL, the Red Sox have shut down the rookie from baseball activities, the team confirmed to reporters (including Pete Abraham and Alex Speier of The Boston Globe). With only 12 games remaining on the schedule for Boston, this likely marks the end of the young first baseman’s season.
The team is still waiting for MRI results, but they do not yet have any reason to believe the injury is more serious than the initial diagnosis of “right shoulder inflammation.” Still, they are choosing to play things safe with the 23-year-old slugger. While the Red Sox have not been mathematically eliminated, their postseason chances are beyond slim. Sitting 8.5 games back of a Wild Card berth with 12 to play, FanGraphs has their playoff odds below 0.1%. Thus, the club has little need to rush one of their brightest young players back from injury.
If indeed he doesn’t play another game, Casas will finish with 502 plate appearances, giving him just enough to qualify for the batting title. He currently ranks first among qualified AL rookies in OPS and wRC+, although the red-hot Gunnar Henderson could surpass him in either category before the year is up.
Bobby Dalbec started at first base on Sunday in place of Casas, and he is slated to start again this evening. The 28-year-old will have a chance to make a good impression over the next two weeks, as he tries to work his way back into a regular role with the big league club. After a disappointing 2022 season with Boston, he has spent much of 2023 at Triple-A. The righty batter has played well for the Worcester Red Sox (.938 OPS in 114 games) but has been blocked at the MLB level for most of the season.
The Sox had a zero chance of the post-season three weeks ago. Their pitching is garbage, thanks to Bloom, their manager stinks and they can’t field.
Sox had zero chance long before that. I think Cora takes the biggest hit, him and Bloom didn’t connect on philosophies and he got stuck with Bloom’s guys. We saw what Cora can do in 2018 if we are given a half decent team.
Doom – I have hated Cora as a manager since April 2018 because he sat Mookie during a week when they had a rain out and an open day in the schedule. When asked why he sat Mookie with all the off days he said it was his turn on the schedule to sit. What kind of moron sits his best player because his calendar tells him to when there was a rain out that gave him two days of rest that week and IT’S APRIL how tired could he be!!!
It’s been down hill ever since with Cora. I documented 12 games Boston should have won in 2018 but Cora did something stupid that created a loss when a win was pretty much assured. Sometimes it was bringing in a bad reliever when a starter was coasting along beautifully and then the reliever got killed and gave up the lead and more. Sometimes it was pinch running for JD in the 6th or 7th inning with a lead and JD on first base. He didn’t steal with the pinch runner and there were no hits to drive the pinch runner in. Two innings later due to circumstances in the game, the Red Sox trailed late and the top of the order came up and runners got on base in scoring position except JD was out and some bench guy that Cora identified with got to make the out that cost them the win.
The list goes on and on. His single biggest mistake was treating his star players in 2018 with no respect. Sitting stars as if they were crap players like he was is simply wrong. The great ones want to play at least 150 or more games. Cora literally built a “sit schedule” and followed it no matter what the circumstances. He said he learned it in Houston, Apparently Hinch did it that way. In fact, many of his first year moves were because Hinch did it that way.
That’s why hiring a completely inexperienced manager whose only skill was that he was bilingual was such an incredibly bad idea but ownership wanted to show how diverse they were so they did it. A minority hot dog vendor would have been a better choice since he communicates with the fans like Cora, he respects the game so he has one up on Cora and he probably understands the managerial job just as well as Cora does 4 years later!!
Cora gets NO CREDIT for what the team did in 2018. They did it despite him being the manager. If Farrell hadn’t been replaced they would likely have won 120 games AND Sale wouldn’t have the arm issues Cora caused.
NOPE it’s a NO SALE on anything positive related to CORA. He cheated the game, the players who came before and after him and he cheated the fans with his actions in Houston AND Boston. He gets no pass. He should have gotten a lifetime suspension for impacting the results of up to 90 games in 2017 with the Astros. The CWS of 1919 impacted 5 games!!! They got lifetime bans because the commissioner worked for baseball and did what he thought was fair not what the owners wanted.
Cora needs to be dramatically fired before the season is done. I hope it’s a dismissal that embarrasses him far more than any other Red Sox GM, Manager or Player in the history of the Red Sox has been embarrassed.
That won’t make things even but it’s a start.
And how many managerial jobs did Farrell get offered after he was fired?
Torndocmac – Take some time and read about the issues Farrell had and why he might not have sought another job afterward. You seem pretty ignorant to the facts.
First year manager takes team from worst to first in 2013. Wins RIng.
Papi retires and the team falls off. Should that be on him?
Cherington gets replaced by DD who provides him a better roster.
He fights cancer and comes back in 2016 and the team wins two consecutive Division Titles but loses in the playoffs in 2017 while facing a cheating Houston team. That leads to his dismissal.
He gets replaced by the scumbag who concocted the cheating scandal.
He went on to do broadcasting and had 3 sons in baseball.
If he wanted to go back I’m guessing his health needed to be good enough to endure the grind of a 162 game season.
Next time before you make a smart ass comment at least have a clue of what you are talking about!!
Personally, I respect a former player who manages and knows how to handle a pitching staff then gets cancer and beats it to win 2 consecutive division championships.
What I don’t respect is a dishonest bench jockey who is no better than a common criminal because he cheats, he steals and he lies. Cora belongs in baseball jail for life.
But that’s just me.
I’m sure you have your reasons for taking a cheap shot at Farrell. I’m guessing it’s ignorance.
Typical arrogant response for the classic narcissist. Expert on everything but really a dilettante. Don’t get in a battle of wits with me, you don’t have enough ammunition. By the way , Felger and Mazz enjoy ripping you apart (if you know whom they are)
“The Sox had a zero chance of the post-season three weeks ago”
Try all season. Even at their best they never were even close. to being good enough.
Lies!
What’s the lie’s
Milt – My man Bobby Dee is looking really good tonight, 2 for 2 with both very hard hit balls.
Go Bobby Go!
But other than that.. their a playoff caliber team….
Olmtiant- Fun with numbers here:
Sox need to go at least 4-5 to improve on last year’s record. With 6 of their remaining 9 against Baltimore and Tampa that’s a big ask.
They are 2 games behind the Yankees, if they fail to pass them the Sox will finish in last place for the 6th time in 12 years. That would be the most last place finishes in MLB since 2012.
By comparison the Yanks haven’t finished in last place since 1991.
FPG… yes that is Herculeian task… but by rooting for you know who and I’m not playing with a full you know what I look at the cup run ith over as also since 2012 till now they have won / tied most Ws championships.. as Ricky Bobby says… if your not first.. your last…still would’ve been nice to finish in front of Yankees though…. Lol
Nice break our season for casas ! Red Sox fans should be well pleased as his profile has an extremely high failure rate when players like him hit the big league. But that power and walk rate are real enough and being only 23 makes him young for a big leaguer.
One less position to fill in Boston !
Gotta work on that defense. An otherwise very encouraging rookie season.
Big – Let’s see if he can avoid the notorious sophomore slump. It’s a whole different ballgame when pitchers have already faced you.
Smart move. Hope its nothing more than inflammation, kid really turned it up this year; definitely coming into his own and dealing w MLB pressure well.
Jest – Most of us already thought it was a foregone conclusion, there’s nothing to play for anymore.
Cora was pessimistic today when asked if Casas will be healthy next year, so we will be holding our breath all winter.
Fever – What? Did he lose an arm? Cora is an idiot.
What shoulder injury doesn’t heal in 6 months? Nobody has talked about labrum surgery or rotator cuff surgery. So what would be so severe that 6 months isn’t enough time to heal it?
This is exactly why Cora needs to go RIGHT NOW!!
Agreed! I laugh when people say they feel sorry for Cora because he wasn’t given a good team this year. He’s more of the problem than the solution. They think he’s a good manager because of 2018? A monkey could have managed that team to a title with all the stars on it!
FPG…. Maybe… but not sure if Monkey would have batted a 1000 with all of Cora’s PH decisions… everything he touched was gold… throughout the playoffs…
Oimtiant – Wow. What a great fabrication!!! NO such thing happened in 2018. The moron set line-ups wrong, swapped out pitchers at the wrong time, rested star players so bench buddies of his could play more and he cost JD a shot at a MVP vs Mookie and Sale a Cy Young.
Does that sound like a guy who is smarter than a monkey? They already tested them and Cora lost the IQ test by over 100 points!!!
But it was only 101 points… I just look at Nunez/ Mitchie 2 bags as two examples… plus Pierce and JBJ having huge hits… I mean regular season 108… can’t make that up… not saying he’s Tito but also not Bobby V….
Olmtiant – Cora just gave the impression he knew what he was doing … because he was able to lean heavily on his best pitcher that year … my man Brasier!!!
For instance, you think Kinsler was used wisely?
Olmtiant – Between (presumably) 2004 Tito and 2012 Bobby V?
So what you’re saying is Cora was 2001 Joe Kerrigan?
Or 1992 Butch Hobson?
Speaking of MVP … how ’bout my man Bobby Dee!! Two more hits today including his first homerun this year!!
I still think he should start at 3B next year.
Well tough to argue with Brasier being best reliever… omg Butch/ last 3b to hit 30 before middlebrooks I believe.. Joe K… good pitching coach… manager ehh… I know this will cement my legacy but I liked Kennedy… before Tito became my guy it was him… and I’ll never forget Jimy W cause my father looked like him when I gave pops my Pawtucket hat to wear….lol… told Mrs… going to be a wreck come playoffs when Roberts brings my guy in… last I checked 35 inn/15 hits!!! Sub .80 era with them… I want him to succeed so bad to make up for all my other horrible calls in sports…. I wish they took Bowie and not Jordan( chance to) way to go Mac… Bill deserves to be on the field… Grandy!!! Don’t you even think of taking Pedro out!!! I mean come on… even a blind squirrel finds a nut…..
Man I hope they find a spot for him…. As for Kinsler… as God as my witness… when Nunez made the catch at 3rd.. back in the day my friends would say what a JUICE as he went into stands… I screamed get up .. back in play… I knew runner was going to tag( wasn’t it JT??) even after 3 ws championships I still foresaw the possibility of a nightmare ending… cue Ian….. on the flip side he does share my birthday…. Him and John Stearns
I’m expecting big numbers next year. Most likely keeping him in a semi-dynasty league. He seemed to really figure it out the second half of the year.
First season is very long for rookies. He should be fine. Looking forward to watching his career unfold. Maybe a little sophomore slump, but he should be good for 30 to 40 Homer’s a year
I don’t think he’ll sophomore slump. Most guys who slump have a sensational first year. Casas is a 2 WAR player and his value was gradual. I see him just picking up where he left off.
Casas should be a 25 plus home run guy with an OPS over .800 for years.
Still nowhere close to ROY caliber. Henderson has it even if this guy played the rest of the year.
“Right shoulder inflammation” from what?
Casas had a horrendous start and a solid finish. May not be ROY but definitely put some minds at ease. That said, i hope the Sox are able to keep Turner for another year because he had a profound influence on Casas and could only help him get better
Glad Dalbec is being given a chance.
Lucky – Yes with Casas and the Sox both done, it’s the perfect time to see what he’s got. I hope he continues to perform like he did last night.
Unlike several other infielders the Sox have tried, without success, Dalbec is better than average at Third, Second and First, and Left Field and bonus, is a right-handed power bat. This year has shown he can hit against quality pitching, he’s a hard worker, and a good teammate. If any of this years team leaves (Turner, Refsnyder, Duvall,???) he’d be a better bet than another team’s castoff.
The new Red Sox GM will sign starting pitching, and he will sign a right handed power bat to replace Turner (assuming he declines his player option), Duvall (free agent is not re-signed), or other veteran.
Dalbec has had a 41% strikeout rate in AAA this year. That is an astronomically high number, and not the type of number that breeds success in the MLB.
I like Dalbec and hope he can be successful, so maybe these last two weeks he can show enough to get a chance somewhere else if not with the Red Sox. In Denver, with their thin air, he could probably hit 40 HRs (and strike out 200 time – think Schwarber).
gppsofla
It looks like losing weight has benefited Bobby.
He stole 18 bases in 20 attempts in Triple A.
If, I had to choose between Duvall and Dalbec in 2024, I’d give Bobby a chance.
He is 7 years younger, can be a station wagon and will be much cheaper in terms of money.
The Sox need to invest in quality starting pitching in 2024 with an eye toward 2025 and beyond.
Also glad to see Bobby up again… I get it ,will be tough to keep him next year but somehow I wish they could… I feel he’s a 30-35 jr guy just waiting to happen.. as for GM…. I’m burning up the phone lines in CHI TOWN trying to wiggle Jed free?? Come on Cubs … you owe us for 16!!!
Why is Wilyer not in the starting lineup tonight? He should be in every game from here on out.