Red Sox Notes: First Base Shuffle, Devers’ Role, and Yoshida’s Recovery

The Boston Red Sox are facing key decisions after losing first baseman Triston Casas to a season-ending knee injury, with the team’s first base situation currently up in the air. Manager Alex Cora expressed confidence in the current options, though the potential for a position change for Rafael Devers remains a topic of conversation.

After the injury to Casas, the Red Sox quickly called up Abraham Toro to the major league roster, and Toro, along with Romy Gonzalez, looks set to share time at first base for the time being. Despite the injury, there has been no formal discussion about moving Devers, the third baseman-turned-DH, to first base. Cora emphasized that the current plan is to rely on Gonzalez and Toro.

“We got these two guys (Gonzalez and Toro) here, Toro starting today,” Cora said before last night’s game. “Romy has done an amazing job in the starts over there so we’ll keep going that way.”

In a subsequent appearance on WEEI radio, Cora softened his stance on the possibility of Devers moving to first base, acknowledging that while it hasn’t been discussed yet, it’s a conversation that may arise in the future.

“We asked him to do something in spring training that, as you guys know, he didn’t agree with in the beginning,” Cora said. “And then little by little, he has embraced it because he knows the quality of the player that we have at third base and where we’re at as a team. … I’m not saying we’ll never have that conversation, but I think for now, where we’re at, I like Raffy as a DH.”

Gonzalez, who is hitting .327/.382/.449 in the early part of the season, has performed well despite a small sample size. However, his career track record suggests that sustained success could be a challenge. Over his five seasons in the majors, Gonzalez has struggled against right-handed pitchers but has shown promise against lefties. Cora seems confident that Gonzalez will get a fair chance to prove he’s made improvements.

Toro, who has had a similarly underwhelming MLB career but has thrived in Triple-A, is also in line to see time at first base. Toro made a solid debut for the Red Sox, going 1-for-4 in his first game back in the majors. Cora acknowledged Toro’s strong at-bats, though his limited success in the majors leaves some uncertainty about his future.

While the combination of Gonzalez and Toro may not be a long-term solution at first base, the Red Sox manager expressed confidence in the current roster and options. Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow took a broader view of the team’s first base situation, stating that the team must “put all ideas and options on the table” to make the team as competitive as possible.

The potential for Devers to move to first base remains a point of discussion. Such a move would open up designated hitter (DH) at-bats for Masataka Yoshida, who has been recovering from a shoulder injury. Yoshida, who underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder last October, is progressing in his recovery. While hitting isn’t an issue for Yoshida, he still feels discomfort when throwing. He recently received a cortisone injection and will be shut down from throwing for a few more days. The Red Sox have no plans to activate Yoshida until he’s ready to play in the outfield.

In the meantime, the Red Sox continue to rely on Devers at DH and wait for Yoshida’s return. The move could also help facilitate a promotion for highly ranked prospect Roman Anthony, who is excelling in Triple-A and has been linked to a potential spot in the big league lineup. Anthony, a 20-year-old outfielder, is hitting .294/.410/.495 with five homers in Triple-A, and has shown impressive consistency dating back to last year.

Despite the team’s offensive struggles over the past week, with the Red Sox dropping five of their last six games, the club’s production has been largely average over the past month. Currently ranked 15th in the majors in runs scored, the Red Sox will need to improve offensively if they are to stay competitive. The struggles of the pitching staff, currently 24th in MLB with a 4.76 ERA, further complicate matters. If the offense continues to underperform, the Sox will likely have to consider making changes, including potentially moving Devers to first base.