The Boston Red Sox began their doubleheader with the Minnesota Twins on a high note. First baseman Triston Casas began the contest with three home runs on each of his first three at-bats. He grounded out in his fourth at-bat to conclude his day. The Red Sox would go on to win 8-1.
His first home run was a three-run jack against Pablo Lopez in the first inning. His second home run, also off Lopez, went to the opposite field over the Green Monster. It was another three-run drive, giving him six RBI through two ABs.
The third homer came against lefty reliever Brent Headrick to lead off the fifth inning. That run gave the Red Sox capped off scoring in the game, securing the 8-1 lead and win.
Casas finished the day with three home runs, seven RBI and three runs. The Red Sox first baseman has 12 home runs in 56 games this year.
Moving past a lost 2024 season for the Red Sox
Should the Red Sox finish with a losing record in 2024, it would mark their third straight losing season. It doesn't help matters that the team will also be without their emotional leader, Rafael Devers, to close the season.
Looking ahead to the future, the Red Sox do have some promising prospects in the pipeline. Shortstop Marcelo Mayer is a consensus top 10 minor league prospect at age 21. He's projected to have a nice blend of hitting and power with an above-average glove. He's still working on contact and develop a better eye for pitches.
The Red Sox also have outfielder Roman Anthony. The 20-year-old played great in Triple-AAA this year, batting .344 in limited action.
Catcher Kyle Teel, MLB.com's No. 24 rated minor leaguer, had an excellent year although his numbers did drop a bit after moving from Double-A to Triple-A.
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The aforementioned Casas is only 24 years old and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting last season.
Most critically, the Red Sox may need the most help with their starting rotation. A healthy Garrett Whitlock would bolster the depth chart, but the team lacks a top-tier ace to build around.
Manager Alex Cora received a three-year contract extension over the summer and will earn more than $7 million per season despite limited wins in his second stint with the Red Sox. Is he getting the most out of his team? Considering the state of the roster, he's not. With the 11th-highest payroll, the Red Sox are tied for 21st in wins across Major League Baseball.
Boston also has the 10th-youngest roster, which shows, given their inconsistencies.
