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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 12: Triston Casas #36 of the Boston Red Sox looks on during the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Fenway Park on June 12, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The Boston Red Sox are 9-16 through their first 25 games, the deepest under .500 they have been since the 2023 season. An offense that has scored two runs or fewer in ten games this season has been the persistent concern. The pitching staff has cycled through injuries and roster shuffles just to stay functional.

Wednesday brought more news for a franchise that has had precious little to feel good about this month.

For Triston Casas, the latest update is another chapter in a recovery that has refused to go smoothly.

The Latest on Casas

Triston Casas has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.

The move was confirmed by Chris Cotillo on April 22 and was made to open a 40-man roster spot for Eduardo Rivera, called up directly from Double-A after skipping Triple-A entirely.

The 60-day designation effectively removes Casas from consideration for any near-term return. May had been the working target throughout the offseason and into spring training. That window is now closed.

After starting the year on the IL while finishing his recovery from the knee procedure, a new problem emerged. The swinging progression that was supposed to mark his return instead revealed an abdominal strain, halting his progress entirely. Boston pulled him from baseball activities entirely while waiting for the strain to resolve. The 60-day IL move is the formal acknowledgment of that reality.

A Difficult Road Back

The original injury arrived in May 2025, when Casas ruptured his left patellar tendon, ending what had already been a shortened season. He had appeared in just 29 games before going down. Since 2024, he has managed only 92 games combined, a stretch defined by torn rib cartilage, the knee rupture, and now the abdominal complication.

When healthy, the 26-year-old has shown exactly what the Red Sox invested in. His 2023 season remains the clearest indication – .263/.367/.490 with 24 home runs across 132 games, finishing third in AL Rookie of the Year voting. The raw power translated immediately at the big league level, and his feel for the strike zone stood out from the start.

Staying healthy long enough to build on that promise has been the obstacle at every turn.

GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 02: Triston Casas #36 of the Boston Red Sox is taken off of the field on a stretcher after a collision at first base during the second inning against the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park on May 02, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)

What It Means for the Red Sox

Willson Contreras’ arrival has given the Red Sox a reliable presence at first base. If and when Casas returns, he’ll have a tough fight to earn a spot – considering the outfield and DH logjam.

Rivera’s promotion is the immediate benefit of the roster move. The young lefthander delivered 3.1 innings of one-hit ball with three strikeouts in his first big league appearance.

Rivera was optioned down to Triple-A to facilitate Payton Tolle’s call up. However, he’ll likely be back with the MLB team sooner rather than later.

GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 22: Eduardo Rivera #99 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during his MLB debut in the sixth inning against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on April 22, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)

Final Word for the Red Sox

Casas has dealt with more than his share of setbacks. The abdominal strain arriving during the comeback process made an already difficult situation harder.

The 60-day IL move is not a surprise given the circumstances. It is the right call from a health standpoint, and there is no benefit in rushing a player whose body has already been through this much.

The Red Sox will need him back and healthy more than they need him back quickly.

May is gone. The next target is whenever his body is ready.