In an unusual moment of miscommunication earlier this month, Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas told reporters that he had started taking dry swings while rehabbing torn cartilage in his midsection. This news excited fans about the 24-year-old’s progress, but MassLive’s Sean McAdam noted that Casas’s previous comments were not entirely accurate.
“Oh, no, just in my mind,” Casas clarified (as relayed by McAdam) when asked to elaborate on his earlier comments about taking swings. “Without a bat, just in my head. I’ve taken thousands of at-bats like that. I feel great.”
Despite the earlier reports being merely imaginary, McAdam confirmed that Casas genuinely resumed swinging on Wednesday, with 20 swings taken after an MRI showed proper healing of his ribcage. As reported by MassLive’s Christopher Smith, manager Alex Cora said Casas has since ramped up to 30 swings and is experiencing some “general soreness” as he prepares for his return to the majors. Cora mentioned that the soreness might not affect Casas’s timeline much, suggesting he might resume swinging soon and could continue some baseball activity today. However, it’s unlikely Casas will return before the All-Star break.
Given that Casas hasn’t played since late April and will need a rehab assignment, this post-All-Star break target isn’t surprising. Although Casas initially aimed for a July 2nd return, being about two weeks behind is reasonable since he didn’t start swinging until two weeks after indicating he would.
Casas’s return will boost a Red Sox team with a 10-4 record over their last 14 games. Despite this strong performance, Boston’s offense has posted a modest wRC+ of 102 since Casas’s injury, and Dominic Smith has underperformed, slashing .209/.308/.317 (78 wRC+) in 47 games. Casas, before his injury, had a .244/.344/.513 slash line, albeit in just 90 plate appearances.
In addition to Casas, veteran closer Liam Hendriks is also on the mend. Signed to a two-year, $10MM deal over the winter, Hendriks had Tommy John surgery last August and aims to return around this year’s trade deadline. According to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, Hendriks threw a 15-pitch bullpen session earlier this week and followed it with a 20-pitch session, feeling good afterward. If he stays on track, Hendriks could return in August, adding depth to a bullpen already featuring Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin.
Bryan Mata is another player working his way back from injury. After pitching just 27 innings last year due to a strained teres major muscle, Mata began a rehab assignment this month and recently reached Triple-A. He impressed with a 97.8 mph fastball in his last outing but gave up two runs. Mata, who is out of options, must be added to the active roster or risk being claimed off waivers once healthy. If he performs well, he could be a valuable asset as the Red Sox pursue their first playoff appearance since 2021.
