The Boston Red Sox’s first base situation appears to be the inflection point in the team’s biggest current storyline: the Rafael Devers trade.
A few weeks ago, Alex Cora said he believed Abraham Toro and Romy González could handle a first base platoon after Triston Casas suffered a season-ending knee injury in early May. So far, he’s been right — both players have played key roles over the past month. However, it seems the front office is still searching for a long-term solution.
«We will look for opportunities to improve our team every single day,» said chief baseball officer Craig Breslow during a Zoom press conference on Monday. «We need to start thinking about what the long-term solution at first base looks like. Triston’s rehab is going well, but it’s going to be a long road.»
Triston Casas visited Fenway Park earlier this month and said he expects to be ready for Opening Day in 2026.
However, the Red Sox acquired James Tibbs, the San Francisco Giants’ first-round pick in 2024, as part of the Rafael Devers trade. A scout told El Emergente on Monday that Tibbs is likely to be a corner player — meaning a right fielder or first baseman.
The Red Sox outfield is crowded, so it’s likely that James Tibbs could be a potential first base solution in the near future. Many scouts in the industry believe that the new Red Sox prospect has the potential to be a great hitter
But with the Giants absorbing the entire Rafael Devers contract, the Red Sox front office could explore other solutions as well.
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There are people in the baseball industry who believe the Red Sox front office will continue investing to improve the roster. When it comes to a long-term solution at first base, there are two potential candidates besides James Tibbs: Rhys Hoskins and Pete Alonso, who are expected to be the top free agents at the position later this year.
Photo: @EugeneEmeralds
