Red Sox Blockbuster Trade Idea Would Swap Triston Casas For 23-Year-Old Fireballer

Is Casas safe from trade talks yet?

Sep 17, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox first base Triston Casas (36) is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a 2-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the second inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas has been involved in a shocking amount of trade talks and rumors this winter.

At 25 years old, Casas has already shown flashes of superstar potential. He passes the eye test -- a 6-foot-5, vicious-swinging lefty power hitter. But because the Red Sox have mulled the idea of moving franchise player Rafael Devers from third base to first base, Casas has somehow become expendable.

It's fair to say the majority of Red Sox fans don't want to see Casas leave, but there remains a chance it could happen. It's unlikely, but the odds increase dramatically if Boston lands St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado in a different trade, which is certainly on the table still.

Where would the Red Sox look to send Casas in that case? Early in the offseason, they shopped him to teams with an abundance of young, cost-controlled starting pitching, so even with a full rotation, the Red Sox could still look to accomplish that objective.

On Sunday, FanSided's Zach Pressnell proposed a trade that would send Casas and infield prospect Nazzan Zanetello to the Pittsburgh Pirates for righty Jared Jones, one of the hardest-throwing starters in Major League Baseball who debuted alongside superstar Paul Skenes in 2024.

"With Boston hypothetically acquiring Arenado in this situation, the Pirates would have the leverage. This means Boston would have to pair Casas with prospect Nazzan Zanetello in order to land the talented righty from Pittsburgh," Pressnell wrote.

"Jones, 23, held a 4.14 ERA with 132 strikeouts in 121.2 innings during his rookie season. He would fit into the future of Boston's rotation very well. The righty would join Garrett Crochet and Tanner Houck at the top of a young and improving Red Sox unit."

Acquiring Jones would give the Red Sox seven quality options for the rotation, which they might not need as badly as they need Casas' power. That's the pressing issue with any Casas trade: Can any addition make the Red Sox better without that lefty power bat in the lineup?

It's just hard to envision Jones being such an upgrade to the rotation the Sox already have to make it worth their while. But until the season starts, it won't feel safe to rule out a trade like this entirely.

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