Could Pirates Land Red Sox Slugger?
The Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox swung a trade ahead of last year's trade deadline that saw Pittsburgh send right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester for second baseman Nick Yorke, who was Boston's No. 6 prospect.
Could the Pirates go back to the well to add the impact bat they desperately need?
MLB Trade Rumors' Steve Adams broke down the Pirates' chances to land Red Sox left-handed hitting first baseman Triston Casas and noted how good the fit could be given the Red Sox's need for pitching and Pittsburgh's depth in that area.
"I think the Pirates would love to add a bat of Casas' caliber to the middle of that lineup," Adams said. "First base has just been a revolving door of unexciting veterans for the years there. I think if you could add somebody who has some actual power, like a middle-of-the-order presence, which Casas certainly does, especially against right-handed pitching, it's a really nice fit. I'm sure they would love to, It's just a matter of if they could stomach the type of pitching prospects or young pitching that the Red Sox are probably going to be asking for."
Casas was hampered by injuries last season but showed plenty of promise in his first full season in the big leagues in 2023. The left-handed hitting first baseman slashed .263/367/.490 while hitting 24 home runs and driving in 65 runs across 132 games.
In 2024, he was limited to 63 games by torn cartilage in his left rib cage, though, he was still productive at the plate, amassing 13 home runs and 32 RBIs while hitting .241/.462/.462. MLB.com's Mark Feinsand also named Casas as a trade candidate, citing the Red Sox's search for more pitching and their potential plans to move third baseman Rafael Devers across the diamond.
"Boston has a glut of left-handed hitters, so dealing the 24-year-old first baseman to acquire pitching might be part of the offseason plan," Feinsand writes. "Some have speculated that Rafael Devers might move to first base at some point, so perhaps the Red Sox add a third baseman, move Devers across the diamond and use Casas as trade bait to acquire pitching help."
Casas, 24, likely won't come cheap, though, that could be a price the Pirates are willing to stomach. Right-handed pitcher Luis Ortiz was one of the Pirates' more reliable starting pitchers in the second half of the season and left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter is also a solid arm in the rotation.
The Pirates also boast one of the best groups of starting pitchers throughout their minor league system, which includes being the only team to have three pitchers in MLB Pipeline's top 100 rankings with right-handed pitching prospects Bubba Chandler (15), Braxton Ashcraft (85) and Thomas Harrington (91). Chandler is more than likely untouchable in any trade talks, but Ashcraft or Harrington for a bat of Casas' caliber at his age if he can stay healthy could be worth parting with a top prospect.
Even if Pittsburgh doesn't want to part with Ashcraft or Harrington, seven of its top 12 prospects are all pitchers, which could pique Boston's interest.
If the Pirates believe in Casas' potential, he could be a home run addition for them not just for the next season but the foreseeable future. And if that costs one of its top pitching prospects, it may very well be a price that Pittsburgh should be willing to pay if it wants to contend in the NL Central next season and beyond.
