- Red Sox
- Updated: Dec. 27, 2024, 2:02 p.m.
- |Published: Dec. 27, 2024, 2:02 p.m.
By See AlsoRed Sox Notes: Arenado, Casas, Bregman, SasakiCraig Breslow Discusses Casas, Bregman, Devers
- Chris Cotillo | [email protected]
Before adding former All-Stars Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler to their rotation earlier this month, the Red Sox considered a trade that would have sent two notable position players out west for an veteran right-hander.
In an effort to pry Luis Castillo away from the Mariners, the Red Sox considered the idea of moving first baseman Triston Casas to Seattle while attaching designated hitter Masataka Yoshida and the $55.8 million remaining on his contract for some salary relief, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. Feinsand reported late Thursday that the Red Sox were not willing to move Casas straight-up for Castillo unless Yoshida was involved.
“Boston remained in the market for another starter, with Seattle’s Luis Castillo among its targets, but according to sources, the Mariners wanted Triston Casas back in a trade, something the Red Sox were unwilling to do unless Seattle took back Masataka Yoshida, who has three years and $55.8 million remaining on his contract,” Feinsand wrote.
During the Winter Meetings in Dallas, the Red Sox were running simultaneous pursuits of both Crochet and Castillo, as The Boston Globe reported, though the Castillo talks fizzled out right around the same time the discussions to send a four-player package headlined by catching prospect Kyle Teel and outfield prospect Braden Montgomery began to heat up with Chicago. The Red Sox then agreed to terms with Buehler on a one-year, $21.05 million deal at the beginning of this week, all but ruling out the potential addition of a third starter like Castillo. Still, it’s interesting to learn the club was willing to get creative in talks with the Mariners.
Casas, who has shown big flashes in parts of three big league seasons but was limited to just 63 games due to a rib cage injury in 2024, has clearly been floated as a trade piece in multiple discussions this winter. Moving the 24-year-old is less likely than before now that the Sox have seemingly filled their rotation holes but was definitely in play, in large part due to an organizational desire to move Rafael Devers from third base to first base sooner rather than later. An addition of a veteran infielder like Alex Bregman (a free agent) or Nolan Arenado (a top trade candidate) could lead the Red Sox to further look into ways to shuffle their infield mix. For now, though, Casas projects as the starting first baseman in 2025.
It remains to be seen if Yoshida has any type of future in Boston. The 31-year-old has hit .285 with 25 homers and a .775 OPS in 248 games over his first two years in the big leagues but has little value when it comes to defense, baserunning or slug. He is also rehabbing from a right shoulder labral repair surgery he had in early October, complicating potential trade talks. The Red Sox would have a more functional roster without Yoshida — a left-handed hitter — on it; the club might look to part ways with Yoshida in some fashion in an effort to ramp up its pursuit of a bat like Teoscar Hernández, Anthony Santander or Randal Grichuk. Boston still hasn’t replaced the production of Tyler O’Neill, a right-handed hitter who led the team with 31 homers last year but has since signed with the Orioles.
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