The Boston Red Sox placed Triston Casas on the 10-day injured list Saturday, but history suggests his return will be a matter of months, not weeks.
Casas has a ruptured patelllar tendon in his left knee. In the short term, Boston will turn to Romy Gonzalez at first base. Abraham Toro was recalled from Triple-A Worcester to take Casas’ place on the active roster.
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In the long-term, the Red Sox could be without Casas for a while.
Just last year, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Hunter Stratton ruptured his patellar tendon when he collided with a wall at PNC Park chasing down a fly ball. The original prognosis for recovery was seven to 10 months.
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Stratton returned to the Pirates on April 29 — about seven months after the original injury. The Red Sox have not offered a specific timetable for Casas’ recovery yet, but the severity of the injury suggests he will need months, not days or weeks, to return.
Since only five months remain in the 2025 regular season, it’s possible the Red Sox will have to contemplate life without Casas until 2026.
In another recent example, Cleveland Guardians outfield prospect George Valera sustained a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee last September in another collision with a wall. A surgical procedure followed, and Valera was given a six- to nine-month timetable for recovery. He has yet to play in a minor league game this season.
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Casas, 25, was hitting .184 with a .585 OPS. He hit 24 home runs in 2023, when he finished third in American League Rookie of the Year voting.
Casas missed nearly four full months last season with torn cartilage on the left side of his rib cage.
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The Red Sox have so far resisted the calls to promote Roman Anthony, the number-1 prospect in baseball. Although he hasn’t played first base to this point in the season at Worcester, Anthony’s hitting prowess could leave Boston’s front office with little choice.
Anthony, 20, entered Friday’s game with a .290/.422/.527 slash line in 26 games for the Red Sox’s top farm team. He’s walked (22) nearly as many times as he has struck out (25).
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