Red Sox Linked To Padres' Hot First Baseman; Will Triston Casas Be Traded?

Boston's front office has to be prepared for a multitude of roster scenarios

May 24, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Diego Padres hats in the dugout during the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images / Brad Mills-Imagn Images

If and when the Boston Red Sox make a deal for more pitching this season, a key position player would likely be traded.

Beyond Boston’s possible need for another impact starter (not to mention bullpen reinforcements), the Red Sox could benefit from moving on from one of their position players and thereby creating room for Marcelo Mayer and/or Roman Anthony on the Major League roster.

Trevor Story, Triston Casas, and Ceddanne Rafaela are the most likely position players to be traded by Boston before July’s deadline if the Red Sox go in that direction.

Moving on from either Story or Rafaela wouldn’t create any depth chart vacancies for Boston. If Story goes, insert Mayer; if Rafaela goes, insert Anthony.

A Casas departure would be slightly different, as Boston only has one non-Casas player on the roster (Romy González) ready to play first base.

As such, don’t rule out the Red Sox from acquiring a bargain-priced first baseman in the coming months.

On Monday, Bleacher Report’s Joseph Zucker listed two under-the-radar first basemen who fit that description and could end up in Boston.

“Especially if Walker Buehler's production is any indication, more pitching will be needed for Boston,” Zucker wrote.

“As something around the margins, (Chicago White Sox infielder) Andrew Vaughn makes sense as a right-handed alternative at first base. The 2019 first-round pick hasn't lived up to expectations, but a change of scenery could do him wonders.”

“Gavin Sheets certainly looks like a different hitter after leaving the Chicago White Sox.”

Sheets is even lesser known than Vaughn and would be an ultimate low-key target for Boston.

After spending his first four Major League seasons with the White Sox, Sheets is off to a hot start at the plate in 2025 for his new team, the San Diego Padres. Entering Tuesday, the 28-year-old lefty was 10-for-29 at the plate with one home run, six RBI, and a stolen base. He’s slashing .345/.367/.517 in a Padres uniform.

Sheets is on a one-year, $1.6 million deal with San Diego. Following two more arbitration years in 2026 and 2027, Sheets is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2028.

If Boston moves on from Casas this season, keep an eye on Sheets as a low-cost backup plan. In a post-Casas world for the Red Sox, they’d probably make Romy González and his right-handed bat the everyday first baseman, meaning that Boston wouldn’t be opposed to adding another lefty bat at the position in Sheets.

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