Red Sox Blockbuster Trade Idea Would Land $108 Million Padres Star For Triston Casas

Triston Casas trades are still all the rage...

Sep 23, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (36) fields a ground ball hit by Toronto Blue Jays right fielder George Springer (not pictured) during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Triston Casas trade rumors this winter just won't end, will they?

After signing Walker Buehler earlier this week, it seemed as though Casas would be safe from any and all trade talks. With Buehler and Garrett Crochet added to the rotation, the Boston Red Sox appeared to no longer need starting pitching badly enough to swap the slugging first baseman for it.

In the wake of the Buehler signing, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported that the Red Sox tried to attach Masataka Yoshida's contract to Casas in order to pry Luis Castillo loose from the Seattle Mariners. That sparked even more speculation, because the fact that Casas has been discussed in trade talks is still mind-blowing to some.

So is there still any world where the Red Sox trade a 6-foot-5 slugger with 40-homer potential this winter? Perhaps, since more blockbuster trade proposals continue to cascade down.

On Thursday, Zach Pressnell of Newsweek proposed that the Red Sox could deal Casas to the San Diego Padres, along with pitcher Richard Fitts and infielder Mikey Romero, in exchange for Dylan Cease, the righty who finished third among all pitchers in strikeouts a season ago.

"Let's not forget how talented and valuable Casas is in a trade just because he was injured last season," Pressnell said. "When healthy, Casas has .800 or .900 OPS potential with a huge bat, good athleticism, and consistent pop. He's still just 24 years old and is under team control for multiple more years."

"Given the Red Sox's minor league organization, they can afford to trade some of their position player talent to make a run at a title in 2025. This deal helps them do that. If they can acquire either Arenado or Bregman, trading Casas to acquire Cease makes a lot of sense."

Everything Pressnell says about Casas is true, and that should make Boston all the more uneasy about trading him. Maybe first basemen aren't the most valuable commodities in terms of WAR nowadays, but Casas' bat could develop into a big enough threat to make him a superstar.

If they're going to trade Casas to get Cease, the Red Sox had better do everything in their power to get the righty signed to an extension. His market value is estimated at five years, $109 million by Spotrac.

The prospect of Crochet and Cease punching tickets at the top of the rotation for years to come is admittedly tantalizing. But giving up Casas to get it might prove to be costly.

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