After the Boston Red Sox locked up one of their core stars of the future in Brayan Bello, the attention now naturally shifts to the next: Triston Casas.
Will Craig Breslow and the Red Sox be able to reach an extension with Casas this offseason? The promising first baseman said earlier this spring he is open to contract talks and that he has had conversations with Boston about an extension — adding that he hopes to remain with the team “forever.” In the same breath, though, Casas noted there had been “nothing enticing” presented to him.
It does not appear that the team is in any rush to get a deal done, either. Casas said on Thursday — the day Bello’s team-friendly extension was announced — that the Sox had not yet approached him to continue the conversation.
“I don’t know if they’re trying to finalize (the Bello contract), but there have really been no talks, no developments whatsoever,” Casas told WEEI.
Signing Casas to an early extension should be seen by the front office as more important than simply retaining his talents as a player. The organization has seemingly embraced the 24-year-old slugger’s personality with their promotion of him in the media this offseason. What's more, Casas seems genuinely interested in taking the mantle as the team’s next clubhouse leader.
What better way to encourage Casas’ development as a leader and player than by giving him an early extension?
Perhaps the team does not see Casas as the same level of prospect as Bello, and it’s no secret that starting pitching is priority number one for baseball ops. Yet Casas is a player who comes with his own pedigree. Not only was he once labeled the Red Sox’s top prospect, but also one of the top prospects in all of baseball.
One would think his encouraging gains in 2023 — his first full major league season — should have put him in enough good graces with the team to be comfortable handing him a Bello-type extension to keep him in Boston near or through his age 30 season.
But with this ownership group, one just never knows…
Just getting started
Speaking of Bello, he insists the Bello fans see today won’t be the Bello fans get at the end of his newly-signed contract.
Sitting next to a smiling Breslow (who deserves to be a little smug on this one) at his extension press conference in his native Dominican Republic on Saturday, Bello conveyed with the help of an interpreter that he has another level yet to reach.
“For me, I know (that) right now I’m at a high level, but I know that I can keep improving and keep getting better," he said. "I’m going to give my 100 percent on the field, and I can’t wait to wear this uniform for a long time.”
“Let’s go Red Sox,” Bello concluded with a smile.
Breslow preceded, “Brayan embodies everything that we value at the Boston Red Sox. He is a model teammate, he is a tireless worker who seeks to get better every single day, he’s got a humility and curiosity and open mind. And above all else, he has a passion and a joy and a love for this game and for this organization. That is why we are so excited to keep Brayan in a Red Sox uniform well into the future.”
Lone Ranger
It appears Jordan Montgomery will be leaving his cowboy boots in the Texas dust…
Or, perhaps it’s the other way around.
The defending World Series champion Texas Rangers have evidently grown tired of waiting for the Scott Boras-represented free-agent pitcher. In an interview with 96.7 KTCK “The Ticket” in Dallas, Rangers general manager Chris Young said he sees it as “unlikely” that Montgomery will return to the team.
If this isn’t simply posturing by Young with the oft-stubborn Boras, this should further increase the odds that Montgomery will wind up with the Red Sox. At this point, with the light of Opening Day peeking through the end of the tunnel, it seems the market for the 31-year-old left-hander is dwindling. It has been reported of late that the Rangers and Red Sox were the top two remaining suitors. Well, there goes Texas…
But it’s as clear as day that the Red Sox like Montgomery, but they just don’t love him. If they did, he would have long since been wearing a Boston uniform. And even with Lucas Giolito likely on the shelf for all of 2024, it doesn’t seem to have moved the needle any in terms of the team’s pursuit of Montgomery.
Assuming Montgomery actually does want to play baseball in 2024, we’ll have our answer soon enough…
If not Monty, then who?
If (when?) the Red Sox don’t sign Montgomery, a pair of remaining free-agent starters could be the fall-back plan.
With Boston continuing to “seem disinclined to the seven-year deal Montgomery seeks,” the team will apparently target “short-term innings-eater (Michael Lorenzen or Mike Clevinger?),” per the New York Post.
Given the state of the rotation, neither Lorenzen nor Clevinger seem like bad options. The 32-year-old Lorenzen is coming off his first career All-Star season — which included a no-hitter in his Philadelphia home debut after being traded by Detroit. Clevinger is 33 and has never earned All-Star honors, but owns a career 60-39 record and 3.45 ERA (Lorenzen, by comparison, is 40-38 with a 4.11 career ERA).
Neither right-hander addresses the team’s need for a southpaw starter, but bringing in one (or both) would give the Red Sox a healthy amount of veteran pitching depth that could stabilize the rotation. Let’s face it, which seems more likely — the Sox getting an All-Star year out of Lorenzen or Clevinger, or Kutter Crawford and Josh Winckowski turning into studs? It’s a no-brainer from a “let’s try to win baseball games today” perspective, but it’s clear that isn’t the team’s primary objective right now…
More pitching setbacks
On the heels of Giolito’s injury comes another possible injury to a pitcher the Red Sox were set to rely on this season.
Chris Martin’s live batting practice session on Saturday lasted only two pitches before the 37-year-old right-hander departed in what WEEI later reported was a precautionary move due to right groin tightness.
Martin hasn’t pitched in Grapefruit League action this spring. With veteran John Schreiber already out the door, and likely-to-be-traded closer Kenley Jansen dealing with right lat soreness and reportedly targeting a March 15th spring debut (per MLB.com), that leaves the Sox even more shorthanded in the bullpen.
The odd man out of the Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck, Winckowski battle for the final two rotation spots will slide into the ‘pen in a long relief role, which will help their depth. But beyond that, the Sox are left with Cooper Criswell, Brennan Bernardino, Chris Murphy, Isaiah Campbell, Joe Jacques, Zack Kelly, Justin Slaten and Chris Murphy as the likeliest candidates to fill out the ‘pen.
Not exactly a Murderers’ Row, to say the least…
Gethin Coolbaugh is a columnist for Boston Sports Journal. Follow him @GethinCoolbaugh on X/Twitter.