The Boston Red Sox are hoping they found their first baseman of the future in Triston Casas. The 2018 first-round pick hit 24 home runs last year and has the ability to improve upon that in 2024.
Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon joined the Audacy original podcast “Play Tessie” and explained why Casas reminds him of David Ortiz at Fenway Park.
“I’m expecting 25 (home runs) or more, easy,” Papelbon said (12:40 in player above). “I think he’s got the power. I think he reminds me a lot of Ortiz in the fact that that wall, he’s using that wall to his advantage. As a left-handed hitter in Fenway Park you don’t have to pull the ball so there is always an advantage as a left-handed hitter. We may not have David Ortiz if he doesn’t come to Fenway, to be totally honest with you, it changed his whole career.”
Of course, Ortiz struggled in Minnesota before finally breaking out in Boston. He had 58 home runs (21 per 162 games) during his six years with the Twins while batting .266. Then during his 14 years in Boston, Ortiz averaged 40 home runs per 162 games (483 in 1,953 games, to be exact) while batting .290.
While Casas may not ever reach Ortiz’s level of success, Papelbon has high hopes for the first baseman.
“I’m liking what I see out of him. Not only that, I think he understands that going into this year ‘I’m going to be pitched a little bit different. I’m going to have to be a little more patient. I’m going to have to pass the baton, so to speak, to the guy that’s hitting behind me,’” he said. “It’s going to have to be a little bit different approach because he will get pitched different. But he knows that and he’s expecting that, so that’s what I like.”
Casas hit 24 home runs with 65 runs batted in while batting .263 with an .856 OPS in 132 games last season. Hitting the 25 home-run mark should be in the cards for Casas, who had 14 home runs in 65 games after the All-Star break and 10 home runs in 67 before it.
The 24-year-old first baseman now has 29 home runs in 159 career MLB games across his first two seasons.
“I challenged him to have a better year than he did last year,” Papelbon said. “A lot of kids, I feel like, would’ve been satisfied with his year last year and I don’t think he was. I really truly don’t think he was.”
Casas is expected to be a key cog in the Red Sox’ lineup in 2024 and beyond. Hopefully, he can build off last season and continue to get better and better.