On Tuesday, the Red Sox (14-11) opened their three-game series with the Mariners at Fenway with an impressive 8-3 victory, giving Boston its ninth win in their last 12 games.
A key contributor to Tuesday’s victory was first baseman Triston Casas, who has given Boston’s offense a spark in two of their last four games after starting the season as one of the coldest hitters in all of baseball.
With his team leading 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Casas broke the game open for Boston with a three-run homer, giving the Red Sox a 7-3 lead and thwarting Seattle’s comeback effort that started just one inning prior.
Combine this homer with Saturday’s walk-off RBI single to beat the White Sox 4-3 in the 10th, and you’ve got yourself a 25-year-old who appears to be getting his confidence back at the plate.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora was asked about a possible resurgence for Casas during his weekly visit with WEEI Afternoons on Wednesday.
“Triston Casas - he’s had a couple big hits just in the last few games,” said WEEI’s Ted Johnson. “Hits a three-run homer in the seventh to open things up last night. What was your message to him after the game yesterday?”
“Keep rolling, keep going,” said Cora. “He’s been grinding. Mechanic wise, they’ve been working a few things. I don’t know if people noticed - his hands [were] different than two days ago. It was more upright, very similar ’23.
“This is a kid that - he dominates the strike zone, as you guys know. He’s very patient, he swings at the right ones. But we want him to drive the ball. You cannot just be pleased with walking, you know? This is a guy that we believe can hit in the middle of the lineup. Obviously giving him some breathing room hitting in the bottom third - we got Wilyer [Abreu] swinging the bat great hitting up there.
“But we believe in Triston, and when the process is the right one - that the process is swing at strikes and do not chase - you’re gonna be OK. But mechanically, he’s been a little bit off. He’s been working hard with [hitting coach] Peter [Fatse] and the group, and hopefully that swing yesterday is the beginning of something great.”
Make no mistake about it, Casas still has a long way to go this season as he continues to strive towards returning to his 2023-form that landed him third in American League Rookie of the Year voting. Even with a couple big hits over the last four games, Casas’ numbers on the 2025 season are still among the worst in the AL:
- .165 batting average
- .241 on-base percentage
- .278 slugging percentage
- 13 hits in 87 plate appearances
- 2 home runs, 3 doubles and 7 runs batted in
- Only 7 walks to 21 strikeouts
We’ll see if these big moments for Casas over the last four days are the spark for big things ahead for a player Boston is banking on for offense as they continue rounding into form in a wide-open AL.
Sox will look for their 10th win in 13 games on Wednesday with Sean Newcomb (0-2, 3.63 ERA) on the mound, with Emerson Hancock (0-1, 12.71 ERA) getting the start for Seattle. First pitch at Fenway Park is set for 6:45 p.m. ET.
WEEI and WEEI.com are your home for Red Sox baseball all season long. Hear every single game of the 2025 season on 93.7 WEEI-FM in Boston and across the WEEI Shaw's Star Market Red Sox Radio Network.