The Boston Red Sox had two problems to solve.
First, nominal outfielder Masataka Yoshida had offseason surgery to repair the labrum in his right shoulder. Although Yoshida was expected to be ready for Opening Day, he is still struggling with his throwing program. He underwent an MRI on Friday, which has not been divulged. However, Chris Cotillo from MassLive.com reported that Yoshida was playing catch with a football in the outfield ahead of the first pitch on Saturday.
Second, first baseman Triston Casas has been one of the worst players in baseball this season. He has been in a season-long slump, posting a .182/.277/.303 batting line in 112 plate appearances, hitting three homers and three doubles. His -0.8 bWAR was tied for 470th out of 481 major league players this season, as he could not positively impact the Red Sox in any area.
Both issues may have been solved through an unfortunate incident. Casas ruptured his left patellar tendon during Friday night’s game and is expected to miss the rest of the season due to his impending surgery and recovery.
While the Red Sox promoted infielder Abraham Toro to the major league roster, they already have a solution for first base. Rafael Devers was moved to the designated hitter role this season after the Red Sox signed third baseman Alex Bregman. Boston had reportedly discussed moving Devers to first base during the offseason as trade rumors swirled around Casas.
Although Cotillo reported that manager Alex Cora does not plan on moving Devers to first, general manager Craig Breslow said that “all options were on the table.” This could involve another position change for Devers, even if it is for the remainder of the season.
Moving Devers to first would also open the designated hitter spot. The Red Sox had planned
for Yoshida to get more time in the outfield despite defensive metrics showing that his best defensive position is in the DH role. Yoshida has been able to swing the bat without discomfort, although he has continued throwing problems. Bringing Yoshida back as the designated hitter would boost a Red Sox lineup that ranks sixth in the majors with a .754 OPS.