Thread of future Red Sox superstar Triston Casas

I don’t even go here (Red Sox) but this kid’s hype is off the charts, he seems super talented from the videos I’ve seen and also, man’s a Character.

You can’t deny the kid’s got confidence:

Triston Casas is seen here wearing red fingernail/white toenail polish. Said he will likely rock this look during the season. That’s my content for the day. pic.twitter.com/a0y06IZGle

— Julian McWilliams (@byJulianMack) February 17, 2023

Out of earshot of Casas, a veteran Red Sox pitcher walked out of the dugout, saw the scene in right field and bristled. To no one in particular, he made his feelings known.

“Are you (expletive) kidding me?” the pitcher asked.

Out of all the cooking utensils the grimiest is definitely the pan… dudes a gamer… I’d take him on my squad any day

— Triston Casas (@mvptc37) December 30, 2022

Former starting 1B and large adult son Bobby "he was the future, once" Dalbec trying to make a point by crushing a homer the other day but the job is definitely Triston's to lose and I really hope he sticks around - we need his joy

Cases was the guy they were upset was napping and sunbathing during workouts?

Before, iirc?

That would be weird thing (but not at all surprising) to be pissy about if he’s out there doing the work

Or if your team was, for example, in last place.

I’m not sure anyone playing any sport competitively would share that sentiment.
But maybe if all the projections have you hitting between .230-.250 you might want to take a little extra time in the cages!

What a weird thing to post.

he should paint little baseball seams on his fingertips to see if he gets thrown out

He shouldn’t have left his little finger nails undone. Looks like he’s trying for a (second?) accent nail but it just looks unfinished.

“Hitting the ball hard is the objective. People love home runs. People love contact. And I try to generate that as often as possible. I’m in the entertainment business.”

He also walks a lot. A “three true outcomes” kinda guy it seems

https://i.postimg.cc/tg9D0Vq7/5-B80-F0-A6-363-A-4811-9-A3-D-AC9-CDA441-F8-F.jpg

If he brings an ounce of this confidence to the game, he’s going to smash it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/redsox/comments/10htch9/triston_casas_awesome_entrance_at_winter_weekend/

(i can't see your image gyac)

Lmao this moron

Triston Casas showing off the flow around the bases. 😤

pic.twitter.com/XTsF9KPD8y

— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) March 3, 2023

he interesting

This will be updated depending on how well he does (not my meme obvs)

Triston Casas MLB pic.twitter.com/erXeRiLdED

— Boston Sports Enjoyer (@DeversEnjoyer) March 4, 2023

i’m watching chris sale live on my tv right now and he looks sharp

Red eyes not ass

ffuuuuck justin turner just took a fastball to the face

he did not lose consciousness but went straight down and spit out blood

have never seen that before, missed the helmet completely i think

Starting off spring training strong, minuscule sample size but look at that enormous manchild hit

The sweet swing of No. 2 #RedSox prospect Triston Casas. pic.twitter.com/oH1WeF4AaP

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 8, 2023

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/03/09/sports/triston-casas-red-sox/

Casas meticulously assembles his guest’s plate and then holds it up for closer inspection. He softly recites something that is impossible to hear, like those baseball conversations where everybody covers their mouth. He looks like a modern-day Mark Fidrych, who appeared to talk to the baseball when he was on the mound.

“I’m blessing the food,” says Casas.

Barry Zito is dead, long live Twitter beisbol king Casas.

Casas’ tweet (Nov. 29, 2022): Don’t know how I used to catch lizards they somehow evolved and became too fast

Casas’ explanation: “I did try to catch a lizard (recently). Typically I could at least grab their tail and it will break off and then they’ll get away. I used to be able to scoop them up and let them run all over me. I tried to do that the other day and obviously it ran away because I didn’t catch it. And then I was seeing if anybody knew about the evolution of lizards lately. Because I feel like they have gotten more athletic.”

Baseball and food are his life. He loves to cook.

“I don’t really have any hobbies or talents,” says Casas, 23, who was ranked the top Red Sox prospect in 2021, according to Baseball America.

He can play the piano and enjoys bass fishing, but there is little time for that now.

“I’ve heard it from a couple of guys,” he says. “But that’s OK. I’m comfortable with my own skin. I don’t resent them for making fun of me because they aren’t on the same level of connectivity with themselves as to put themselves out there and be vulnerable to criticism.”

pic.twitter.com/bMGFEduQg4

— ash (@ashleyherman_) March 2, 2023

Oh trust me notifications are on for that account

https://i.imgur.com/swJOxlS.jpg

i mean

Who will hit the first Red Sox home run of the season?? via @RedSox

I’ll start: Easy answer Raffy but to switch it up I’ll say Duvall pic.twitter.com/kPBX7d8fei

— Jake “Iggy” Ignaszewski (@JakeIggy) March 15, 2023

i’m gonna go with eovaldi, he’s always seemed like a bit of a diva to me

Injured!

From Red Sox:

Triston Casas was scratched from todays game with left 5th finger pain. He is day to day.

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) March 21, 2023

well duh it was unprotected by varnish

Bobby Dalbec got the start at 1B yesterday, batting 9th. 0-4 with 3 strikeouts and 3 LOB 😭

Triston Casas is back in the #RedSox lineup.

Duran CF, Casas 1B, Dalbec 3B, Palka RF, Alfaro C, Goodrum SS, Allen LF, R. Hernández DH, Yorke 2B, Winckowski P

— Mac Cerullo (@MacCerullo) March 23, 2023

Out there with the spare parts!

Cmon, you know our guy doesn’t care about that. He just wants the bat in his hand and the sun on his forehead!

https://i.postimg.cc/6q0k6FwF/42-D2-E256-ACFF-4037-B376-D4314-D5-F1615.jpg

Dear Tracer, this thing just won’t go away?

Triston Casas might be your 2023 Boston Red Sox leadoff hitter pic.twitter.com/vtzJolK8xx

— Jared Carrabis Podcast (@carrabispod) March 23, 2023

Triston Casas off of Duane Underwood Jr.

EV🔥: 107.8
Launch angle📐: 5.0 degrees
Pitch type🎨: Cutter
Pitch speed🚄: 91.6 mph
Distance📏: 115.0 ft.
Outcome🙋: Double

Boston Red Sox(0) @ Pittsburgh Pirates(0)
Top 1 1 Out pic.twitter.com/wdmaQT6s03

— Well-Hit Bot (@MLBWellHitBot) March 23, 2023

hell yes

the betts/bogaerts era already feels nine million years ago

I mean don’t count your Casas before he’s smashed, but yes, he seems to be having a great spring!

Who knew he inspired the Daniels?!

Everyone wants to take photos of the back side of Triston Casas’ hands (nails). I was more interested in the other side. This is what no batting gloves in BP looks like. pic.twitter.com/vAF3DKaJs5

— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) March 21, 2023

Holy moonshot to walk it off for the Red Sox pic.twitter.com/GyLG2ZClP4

— Dillard Barnhart (@BarnHasSpoken2) March 25, 2023

I don’t love that swing.. he’s flying open too quick, opening his shoulders up too quick.. can’t argue with the result though

Another bomb yesterday off Charlie Morton btw

Triston Casas - Boston Red Sox (4)* pic.twitter.com/aWt6gTZyFm

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) March 28, 2023

Youk is such an upgrade on Eck in the booth it’s not even funny

sorry for posting to this thread when Triston isn’t playing ;_;

It’s ok, big boy sits for left handed pitchers

He came on to pinch hit and he did!

Rookie Triston Casas extends the lead for Boston pic.twitter.com/IHMQSS4oVF

— Pack the Brew (@PacktheBrew) April 2, 2023

It’s ok, big boy sits for left handed pitchers

I hope and expect for this to change

Extremely satisfying single there

My large meathead son

https://i.postimg.cc/PxRcd55P/5-CEECBF9-4-ED8-46-D7-ABA2-2-EC89-BCFC06-B.jpg

Has he quite possibly spliced a load of quotes from different properties and attributed them to a fourth? I believe he has!

Nail update:

Triston Casas Opening Day nails pic.twitter.com/CE5hSasBIn

— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) March 30, 2023

Literally rookie errors from our boy; learning curve! However that first home run of the season was pretty great. And it seems like his bat has started to wake up?

Hahahaha

Quite an at bat for Triston Casas, who fouls off eight pitches and draws a 14-pitch walk. Flips the bat at the end, which, honestly, he kind of earned.

— Mac Cerullo (@MacCerullo) April 13, 2023

I love this fucking moron

Triston Casas celebrating his 14-pitch walk, I LOVE IT.
pic.twitter.com/IZ3qu8Iyt1

— Boston Strong (@BostonStrong_34) April 13, 2023

was not expecting the scream there

There’s a great clip where they cut to the dugout and Cora is laughing, like, what an absolute freak but can’t hate

The lhp threw four straight balls to Bobby Dalbec and ended up having to come out right after, love a good ab duel like that

Triston struck out 4 times today ;_;

If he can't learn to handle breaking stuff or offspeed stuff when it's down and in his MLB career is going to be very cruelly foreshortened imo

I think that’s premature.

Well that’s the book on him and it’s working like a dream so far. This is his challenge. He either figures it out or hangs it up. He’s got a good enough eye that I think he does figure it out, but he needs to do it either 1) quickly or 2) in Worcester

BA still dire and still a pretty small sample size but there’s a lot of good signs - walking a lot more and has also had some bad luck with strike calls & catches. This walkless streak has now ended so his on base numbers are going up and he just has to get the hitting squared off.

https://i.postimg.cc/3JwWx535/2-F043-D1-E-4769-4-BB5-86-DB-14-F8-C19-CFBAF.jpg

Intrigued by this thread also

Over the last 2 weeks Casas has a 24% walk rate and these are his batted balls. Enough to drive someone crazy, but as long as he sticks with his process, he's going to be fine. pic.twitter.com/Ool9IYPKDl

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) April 24, 2023

A 426 foot beauty from Triston Casas. pic.twitter.com/fGPASZ3bu6

— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 24, 2023

Such quick hands. Crazy.

0-3 with a walk getting to be a very familiar stat line for our young himbo. I feel for him. He looks miserable!

Yeah you read that piece in the Athletic? It’s just pretty joyless grinding atm but they say they’ve seen enough to bench him if needed cos they want him to tackle major league pitching. I think he has enough confidence to work through this slump but it’s tough to watch.

Btw I saw a clip of him making a pick from short and he was almost doing the splits to do so 😵‍💫

lmao his face at the end in the replay. I hope the boys are looking after him

https://www.mlb.com/video/danny-jansen-grounds-out-shortstop-enrique-hernandez-to-first-baseman-tri

btw I love Kiké as you know but honestly he is all over the place with his fucking throws???? He made one soon after this that was into the lights, went about a mile over Casas.

Yeah it's like he's got the yips. For every one of those diving stops he gives away a couple on bad throws

Casas a very natural fielder imo, always feel good when he's out there

I think based on his PAs I’ve seen he’s getting closer to where he needs to be. He seems to make a lot of hard contact but it gets caught a lot - probably mechanical as much as deciding to swing. Have seen people say he always takes a while to adjust every time they come up a level and the team is clearly pressing him to work it out - can be rough to watch. As I mentioned upthread, he’s got a lot of confidence and young players need that to keep pushing themselves on. Plus also it seems like some of his problems are classic overthinking at the plate? Idk, I hope he starts doing better soon for his own sake, your fans seem kind of awful. Also for our sake so he can start using his Twitter account again ofc

Casas' bases loaded warning track fly out is a homer 87% of the time, with a .917 batting average. pic.twitter.com/dgT6ZpqsIt

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) May 4, 2023

The only king I care about is king of the himbos Triston Casas. 4 hits in his last two games, hopefully he has turned a corner.

Unreal pic.twitter.com/BHIWapDa8o

— Joey Copponi (@JoeyCopponi) May 5, 2023

I asked Casas about this. He said he was using the injury on the field as his time to visualize some things in the batter's box. With the pitch clock, he noted, you don't have time to do that.

He's the gift that keeps on giving. https://t.co/xsa4TawOfN

— Julian McWilliams (@byJulianMack) May 5, 2023

Which weirdos played for boston before spaceman lee? B”s”L->manny b manny->TC is a good lineage

Ted would talk to his bats i guess

oil can imo

RIGHT

Carl Everett could be squeezed in there somewhere imho

Tru

I can’t speak to Red Sox weirdos but i think they haven’t had a himbo proper since Gabe Kapler. The himbo/weirdo hybrid is rare!

I don’t think the other voice in the box was posted here

Casas on him hitting in the box and the little voice in his head: "That alter ego comes out in that box, there’s a little switch you have to flip, so that’s who I talk to. It’s very demanding, it’s very harsh."

— Julian McWilliams (@byJulianMack) September 24, 2022

poor jimmy piersall was a big ol bosox weirdo

https://i.postimg.cc/SxwJbvV5/30-BF0-DCE-66-CE-4286-9-AC9-A0-FEFB318428.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/tgW7qNMg/1-C596-A9-C-4-CB6-42-B9-93-FD-9174-A7-CEDB49.jpg

links no worky

let me at that casas content

I messaged to you on sapp, imgur doesn’t work on my phone v well sorry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La15eWBCzdY

He’s the best 🥹🥹🥹 though apparently ESPN asked him “What does Mother’s Day mean to you?” (as his mother died as a child), what the fuck.

BA continues to climb, slash line is .345/.444/.586 with an OPS of 1.031 for May. He got hits in the last three games, on base streak is 23(?) games?

Wow that question about his mother is fucked up, he handled that well though.

Also, in The Athletic:

• Triston Casas has slowly started to turn a corner at the plate, going 10-for-29 (.345) with two homers and a double in 10 games this month. On Sunday, Casas extended his on-base streak to 23 games, the third-longest active streak in the majors behind Yordan Alvarez (34) and Jurickson Profar (25). While the walks he’s drawn have been good, the Red Sox are glad he’s being more aggressive at swinging at pitches in the zone. The Red Sox felt Casas was too patient and was wasting hittable pitches in an attempt to draw a walk. “I’d rather him not work the count to walk,” Cora said. “They walk you, they walk you. If you’re ahead in the count and you get pitches to hit, let it fly.” Cora added a little humor by referencing another comment made to the gigantic, slow-footed Casas, “Somebody said something like, ‘If you walk, what are you gonna do? Steal second?’”

roasted

cannot believe he just runs his mouth throughout at-bats

"there's a certain amount of energy that the earth emits that you can absorb from the sun"

incredible answer to a completely jarring question in the middle of an at-bat

"pablito!!"

he loves trees

Yeah I appreciate he calls to the guys in Spanish, that’s got to be such an asset in a clubhouse.

“Hopefully my balls start flying a little more.”

xp the best

“You seem comfortable in your skin and we’ve seen a lot of your skin…” thirsty comment to a 23 year old rookie

I love that they showed his tweets onscreen, this thread was ahead of its time

MLB made the mic’d up video private 🫣

My beloved Mariners got absolutely crushed by the Red Sox, poor Luis didn’t deserve that 😩😩😩 but at least Justin Verlander had a worse night.

However, if you can quietly sidestep the Mariners train wreck (you have no idea how grateful I am Servais didn’t throw Matt Brash out there, but what the fuck was he doing putting the closer out in the 7th, no I am not updating that thread 🫥) it was a good night for Triston Casas.

His BA continues to climb, at this rate he’ll be hitting .250 by the 4th of July. He got a home run and a walk last night, too bad he snapped his on base streak of 23 games last night.

Triston Casas - Boston Red Sox (6)
pic.twitter.com/h99xp75WGy

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) May 16, 2023

Hitting homers and eating berries.

Typical day in the life of Triston Casas.
pic.twitter.com/je196NdI1B

— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) May 17, 2023

Slash line April: .133/.283/.293, OPS .576
Slash line May*: .257/.338/.429, OPS .766

Not lighting it up yet but you can see him adjusting. Swinging more and making tons more contact, and has had some bad luck. Hopefully his June is even better. And he’s looked a lot more settled in fielding, no stupid errors like that one v the Pirates. Felt bad for him, last two games have been bad, however, his worst stretch in May was three games without a hit. In April it was six. So hopefully this is just Development.

*i am travelling all day tomorrow so this misses out today assuming he plays.

For the second time this year, Triston Casas swats a homer at a 44-degree launch angle.

With that height, the @RedSox rookie is tied for the MLB lead: pic.twitter.com/ROygM7Bbvo

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 9, 2023

GOLD GLOVE CASAS SAVES A RUN AND AN ERROR

Hell of a play by Triston Casas to hold onto the bat. pic.twitter.com/y3tnQqIklq

— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) June 9, 2023

"His off-speed pitches were really immaculate today."

Triston Casas praised Garrett Whitlock following the Red Sox 3-2 win over the Yankees. @WebsterOnTV | #RedSox pic.twitter.com/j0DYBGQnfB

— NESN (@NESN) June 10, 2023

Interesting comments from Casas regarding his change in approach at the plate:

Triston Casas joined @SoxBooth after the Sox sweep of the Yankees to discuss his big knock, abilities at first ("I think I'm a difference maker"), tap to listen:
📷 © Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports pic.twitter.com/eSUuiKFxlE

— WEEI (@WEEI) June 19, 2023

Triston Casas smokes a two run double! pic.twitter.com/YbSF2Wuo1S

— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthewCFB) June 19, 2023

I like change ups https://t.co/2QMDTYMcus

— Triston Casas (@mvptc37) February 26, 2022

Also, Red Sox Stats points out that he gets robbed on a lot of full count balls, probably on account of his size like a lot of other tall hitters.

A sampling of 3-ball count called strikes on Casas this year pic.twitter.com/6XbGfmRp0k

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) June 19, 2023

pic.twitter.com/kpCw7EXUNm

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) June 22, 2023

Final June numbers for the king of the himbos:

.288/.380/.488, OPS of .868. Saw a figure of him having a WRC+ of 140(!) for this month but can’t find that tweet rn. Still, you take those numbers for a 23 year old rookie don’t you?

Actually more impressed by him lowering his strikeout rate for the month, it was 21.7% in June compared to a not-great 27.5% in May and an even less impressive 29.3% in April (I think that was when you posted that he struck out four times in a game, Tracer?) Btw he hasn’t walked once since June 18 so his k/bb rate isn’t as impressive as it was mid month when it was 1:1, but clearly he’s decided to put the ball in play more & it’s paying off.

You take those numbers from anybody

wild that he can change his approach that much and make it work for him.

Idk have you watched him recently Tracer? He doesn’t look that wildly different at the plate, just a lot more assured & more willing to swing. If I wasn’t too lazy to go on Savant & find out, I’d be interested to see his % of pitches that he swings at. Scrolling back up, you said about him hitting breaking pitches and he’s had some success with them in June, to put it mildly.

https://i.postimg.cc/v8cN9DZ3/IMG-4311.jpg
AL East’s Judge/Altuve.

Also, came off the bench and smashed a slider for a double today.

He smoked one at Wrigley (second in two days! Go big boy!) and we’ll get to that BUT

Casas very confident in his arm pic.twitter.com/8yPyIDJ0LE

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) July 15, 2023

Casas turning into a beast very early in his career. Homers to the cup snake. pic.twitter.com/4QMca3nzhS

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) July 15, 2023

Completely normal thing for NESN to post

Casas is a whole vibe. pic.twitter.com/7xfgmfoQUk

— NESN (@NESN) July 18, 2023

I love when this guy homers twice off Max fucking Scherzer.

Yeah, Scherzer isn’t who he was. But he’s still someone that could fuck a rookie up. Three ABs & couldn’t get Casas out in any of them. He clearly didn’t want to pitch around him, looking at it now.

Look at this maniac staring across the plate at Scherzer after Scherzer threw him two fastballs across the plate in nearly the same spot and the second was crushed
https://i.postimg.cc/CLFtWcGs/37c11a17-a137-4ebf-b285-83a17d88d321.jpg

Scherzer will have to wait until next season to get another crack at Casas. It was clear who emerged victorious in their first encounter.

"I left pitches in his wheelhouse,” Scherzer said. “I'd like to face him more. I'd like to get more at-bats against him. But tonight, I left pitches down and in for him to be able to hammer."

Kind of insane stat, this

At 23, Casas joined Lou Gehrig as the only players ever to hit multiple homers in a game at such a tender age against an opponent with 3,000 strikeouts; Gehrig’s performance came against Walter Johnson.

What a guy Casas is 😂👏 #RedSox pic.twitter.com/Vg7m0HyGxy

— NESN (@NESN) July 26, 2023

Bumping mine and Traitor Hand’s favourite thread for this gem:

Baseball isn’t Boring (podcast, great) interviewed Casas in spring training and asked him about his approach to the game. Casas reiterates that he does every day at a time working towards progress every day. When asked about his daily routine, here’s what he said:

New slogan: 'Put the mushrooms and peppers on the grill!' (Photoshop wizards, assemble ...)
Listen to Casas on @BBisntBoring: https://t.co/O6DUWP8QaU pic.twitter.com/l2bA6YDKIe

— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) July 30, 2023

de·stroy (verb)
put an end to the existence of by damaging or attacking it. pic.twitter.com/lT9EJKo0Pq

— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 29, 2023

Alex Cora said postgame that Triston Casas' home run was as impressive as any he saw Barry Bonds hit back in the day.

"I played here a lot of games and I saw one of the great ones dominating from like 2000 to 2004. That ball he hit to left center, that's one of the best home…

— Mac Cerullo (@MacCerullo) July 29, 2023

Fangraphs interviewed Casas about his hitting

Laurila: You do your thinking before you step in the box.

Casas: “Yes. I develop my approach to an at-bat when I’m on deck. What is the best way to go about this at-bat to put my team in the best position to succeed? Maybe I want to grind it out and I’ll be taking the first pitch. Maybe I’ll be trying to take my whack on the first pitch, trying to drive the ball into a gap, hit a double, hit a home run. Sometimes the game calls for a walk. I also look at where I’m at in the lineup; who am I protecting, or who is protecting me? A lot goes into it.

“When I step into the box, I know what I want to do. I know what I’m looking for. I know what part of my swing I want to get to. I focus on what I intend to do based on my feel for the game and the situation. From there, it’s all about reaction.”

Honestly for a himbo hippie the guy's kind of a low-key hardball poindexter

I don’t love that swing.. he’s flying open too quick, opening his shoulders up too quick.. can’t argue with the result though

“I’ve always said if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, you’re going to think it’s dumb, but if you talk to me about hitting, you might think I’m the smartest person in the world.”

Bless

He is staying down on the ball more imo. There is something funny about lefties, though, and for some reason I notice it more with Japanese players. Yoshida and Ichiro both look like they fly open way too soon, kind of unspooling their torsos to follow the bal

https://rpseawright.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/ted-williams-hitting-chart.jpg

I’m guessing this is the chart

Looks like Ted didn't like down and in either

https://i.postimg.cc/ydxqHMRt/IMG-8250.jpg

"What if I don't hit by May 3?" - Triston Casas when told of the Dustin Pedroia story on April 24 https://t.co/gMl9X9xL8n

— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) May 4, 2023

We talked to Dustin about a player who is having an eerily similar rookie year to his in 2007, Triston Casas... Needless to say, he had some high praise for the rookie
Listen here ➡️ https://t.co/5yHcI31X5l pic.twitter.com/lUk2FyTiCf

— Baseball Isn’t Boring (@BBisntBoring) September 7, 2023

every time i hear dustin pedroia speak i imagine it being said by matt dillon

I’ve watched so much Pedroia tape. He’s hilarious.

I read a piece with him earlier in the season cos he attends spring training. Two of his kids play baseball and the other doesn’t; he said that son has no interest because baseball used to take his dad away from him. I guess that’s why he’s not very involved the rest of the year but he watches all the games, he says.

Season’s over 💔

Triston Casas (right shoulder inflammation) to the IL.

His 2023 season is effectively over. Scratched from the Red Sox lineup each of the last two days.

He basically had two years in one:
-- .128/.281/.282/3 2B/3 HR prior to May 3
-- .293/.387/.536/18 2B/21 HR from there

— Bill Koch (@BillKoch25) September 16, 2023

Wasn't sure if I should post on the Jays thread or not, but I was listening to "Baseball Isn't Boring" podcast for Sept 16, which for some reason had Toronto radio personality Jeff Blair et al asking questions of Boston personality "Bradfo".

Blair (laughter in background): "When did Tristan Casas go from being the dude who was like, walking around the field in bare feet before the game and doing yoga and painting his nails and all that stuff, to 24 homers, first in OPS among rookies, 2nd in home runs among rookies...when did that happen? How did that happen?"

Just a disappointing question. Obviously, he's not two different people. Obviously, the behaviours/achievements are not mutually exclusive. Am I being hugely uncharitable if it sounded to me like he's asking "when did this guy go from total f** to complete chad?" Maybe it's innocuous for sports radio, i dunno. It got me wondering how Boston media has been treating his season as it relates to his personality vs. his accomplishments?

Bradfo himself adores the guy and has interviewed him several times, most recently here:

On his one-year anniversary as a big leaguer, Triston Casas sat down with @bradfo to reflect on his journey (that most recently included a game-winning, three-run home run)
Listen: https://t.co/ykkGQCvbEJ pic.twitter.com/BvgXAungqw

— Baseball Isn’t Boring (@BBisntBoring) September 5, 2023

Casas has had the second-biggest turnaround in quality of contact in MLB between April and May, and has the 6th best quality of contact in May overall. pic.twitter.com/uGNRa3kFcV

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) May 15, 2023

The snackster pic.twitter.com/QUibPtUmHF

— Sox & Shoes (@soxandshoes) May 17, 2023

Casas is a whole vibe. pic.twitter.com/7xfgmfoQUk

— NESN (@NESN) July 18, 2023

Obviously, he's not two different people. Obviously, the behaviours/achievements are not mutually exclusive.

"What if I don't hit by May 3?" - Triston Casas when told of the Dustin Pedroia story on April 24 https://t.co/gMl9X9xL8n

— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) May 4, 2023

Yep, Bradfo backed him up very well with his answer. The red flag was all in the question, and I wondered how pervasive that kinda condescending tone had followed him.

thanks for that! i've been very interested in Casas for his potential and his personality, helped by yourself and this thread. i really hope he continues to live up to that potential - a very easy guy to root for, which means a lot coming from a Blue Jays fan!

I had suspected there was a tonal shift as he proved himself, and agree that it's bs to have to succeed to be accepted as an individual.

Thank you, I think just Tracer Hand and I really follow/pay attention to him, he’s a fun/unusual personality and character for baseball, and if you haven’t read the interview with him towards the beginning of the thread where he cooks for the reporter, it’s a really nice piece and he talks about the nails etc. His Fangraphs interview where he talks about hitting is also a really interesting read, he has a very mature (!?) approach to the plate.

Also, that video of him micd up talking to Braves players is sweet 🥲

Oh yeah that article is paywalled, well not here it isn’t.

I'm going through Casas withdrawal already, I can't deal

don’t

When I started this thread I thought it might be fun to follow this weird kid over the season.

This article with its quotes from/about multiple teammates is so sweet!

JT is A Guy:

Turner, who played with the Orioles and Mets in the early years of his career, credits players such as Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Ty Wigginton and David Wright for instilling the idea of a mutually respectful relationship between teammates, regardless of age. Rather than following the concept of “making them earn it,” Turner believes in embracing rookies and making sure they’re comfortable.

“I always say I’m like the bumpers on a bowling lane,” Turner said. “I don’t want to interfere with them or stop them from doing anything, I just want to keep them moving in the right direction, make sure they don’t wind up in the gutter.”

Outside of the meticulous gameplan Casas follows, the rookie’s confidence not only in his routine but in the way he carries himself has stuck out to some veterans. Jansen saw that confidence firsthand one night after a game when he and Casas were the only two left in the clubhouse.

As they sat eating in silence, the 23-year-old rookie turned to a 35-year-old Jansen and asked, “Hey, do you have a problem with me?”

“He kind of called me out,” Jansen said. “Not called me out, but was like … ‘I have a sense that you don’t like me.’”

Though Casas noted that techniques such as grounding have been “in the works long before (he) came on this earth,”

not only have his teammates accepted Casas’ routine, some have tested it for themselves. Among those players who have joined Casas in the grass pregame? Devers, fellow rookie Yoshida and Nick Pivetta.

“I think you might see a couple guys over the next couple years do it,” Casas said. “I feel like I'll be here for a while, so I'll definitely keep doing it.”

Tracer Hand, this is the Fred Lynn interview.

“It was nice to see somebody in the Major Leagues make an adjustment, because I see a ton of them just do the same thing over, and over, and over,” the nine-time All-Star said with a chuckle.

“Back then, we didn’t even see what we were hitting until Sunday when the averages came out,” Lynn recalled of having to get the newspaper just to know how everyone was faring. “It was easy to just play the game and not be overwhelmed by all the other stuff. Today’s players, they can’t do that. I don’t know how they do it, to be honest, because they can’t get away from all that chatter.”

he is unreal

Brennan Bernardino, Triston Casas, Chris Murphy, and Brandon Walter spreading holiday cheer with the 2023 Holiday Caravan! pic.twitter.com/AKF1yH9HP3

— Red Sox (@RedSox) December 7, 2023

⚠️Warning⚠️

The contents of this video are HOT. pic.twitter.com/nAUgjmBrey

— Red Sox (@RedSox) December 7, 2023

DUDE

His laugh at the end 💀💀💀💀

He’s so sweet

https://archive.is/hXmnm

Casas hopes to use his experience not only to help teammates but also the region. His participation alongside teammates Brennan Bernardino, Chris Murphy, and Brandon Walter in the Red Sox’ holiday caravan — with visits to hospitals and charitable programs — represented an interest in becoming more deeply invested in the community.

“Baseball is great, hitting home runs is good, and winning World Series is even better, but giving back to the community and somehow making an impact in somebody’s life is better than those things,” said Casas. “I struggle sometimes with knowing my purpose in life and what this all means, being a baseball player compared to a workforce member or a teacher or a firefighter. We get so much attention and compensation that sometimes I’m confused about the dynamic of the world.

“But I want to use this platform for good. Any opportunity that I can get to come up to Boston or give back to the community or hopefully one day get into (hosting)charitable events and foundations, to tap into that after I’ve gained my platform, I’m here to give going forward.”

this guy

he’s back

Red Sox' Triston Casas turned 24 on Monday and enjoyed a big b-day dinner courtesy of his dad.
“My dad went to my favorite butchery shop in Miami and he got me an Australian Wagyu Tomahawk, then a separate Japanese A5 Wagyu Ribeye. So I had both of those for the birthday dinner"

— Christopher Smith (@SmittyOnMLB) January 17, 2024

Him! Posted in hope a passing FrancisF might see this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iEm7ZBXhrY

There are so many shithead comments online like Ted Williams would nEvEr and bro, Teddy Ballgame wouldn’t even admit he had a Mexican mother until decades past retirement. It’s ok for players to be themselves now.

Joe Sheehan has him as the 5th best 1st-baseman in the game, behind Freddie Freeman, Matt Olson, Bryce Harper and Vladdy Jr

gyac thinks he might be better than Vladdy Jr and all I have to say about that is, it'll be interesting to watch :)

I mean maybe?????

What exactly did Sheehan say? I remember he was annoyed with some Sox fan who was complaining about Casas having a low average in May or something, after he’d started hitting, but before it showed up in his numbers. Sheehan: do Red Sox fans bother watching the games?

lol he basically just pasted what he wrote before
--
I wrote this in an email May 31, 2023 and published it in a mailbag June 21:

Casas was hideous in April, but in May he’s at .257/.338/.429 after last night’s 0-for-5. That’s also not great, but it’s progress. The K/BB is 22/9 and the K rate is 28%, not unreasonable for the profile. May xBA is .264, xSLG is .560.

I’d have understood these questions a month ago. It’s weird to get them when he’s basically playing about as you’d expect. He’s absolutely earned some patience.

Casas hit .299/.397/.556 from June 1 through the end of the season.
--

🤞🏻 for a good healthy second season (and that his hair grows back ASAP)

It’s good that Florida man wears sunscreen, but does he seriously not understand that you’re supposed to rub it in.

https://i.postimg.cc/7Z0rDWGr/IMG-6515.png

https://www.mlb.com/app/atbat/video/triston-casas-joins-mlb-tonight

Also, I love Jake Peavy so much.

"What part of that [pregame breakfast] makes you feel light for the game?"

Triston Casas: "The trip to the bathroom right before the game. That'll make me feel light. I think it's the chia seeds and flax seeds running right through me. That's the light part." pic.twitter.com/zxgpOt2wEt

— Sox & Shoes (@soxandshoes) March 7, 2024

https://www.sfgate.com/athletics/article/sunbather-oakland-coliseum-triston-casas-routine-19380171.php

lol. I assume that’s an April Fool’s Day headline cos Jessica Kleinschmidt the A’s reporter (who is great!) posted it on her Twitter.

Triston Casas made it to Oakland just fine: pic.twitter.com/dBGgUxmCcl

— Jessica Kleinschmidt (@KleinschmidtJD) April 1, 2024

Where does outfield yoga rank amongst pregame routines? #RedSox pic.twitter.com/nHR8NMJZ02

— NESN (@NESN) March 30, 2024

Casas is so bored at dh he’s playing first from the bullpen lol pic.twitter.com/C9m6bYQeRK

— CasasTruther (@CasasTruther36) April 3, 2024

https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2024/04/meet-the-river-monster-the-red-sox-new-on-base-celebration-for-2024.html

At some point shortly before the season on the team plane, a group of veterans were playing poker on the back of the team charter when, after someone won a hand with a favorable river card (the fifth and final community card in a flop game), gestured like a monster and said the “River Monster” had come for one of his teammates.

“It’s something to do with poker,” said first baseman Triston Casas. “I don’t play but apparently there’s something called the ‘river.’ Sometimes it frustrates players when something happens there that they lose and the other person wins. Somebody made that gesture when they were playing one day. I wasn’t there.”

…“The back of the plane card game got it going, so (Nick) Pivetta and Raffy (Devers) were doing it,” Casas said. “Someone was like, ‘I’m doing that when I get on first base.

“I don’t know how there can be a river in a card game. Those run through land, with water. I don’t understand.”

He’s an idiot i love him

Thanks I hate this

The #RedSox today placed 1B Triston Casas on the 10-Day Injured List with a left rib strain.

To fill Casas’ spot on the active roster, the club recalled C Tyler Heineman from Triple-A Worcester.

— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 21, 2024

pic.twitter.com/QpYtSindyX

— Red (@SurvivingGrady) April 18, 2024

Cause of injury: big

Triston Casas first felt the discomfort after a swing against Ben Lively during last Wednesday’s shutout of the Cleveland Guardians at Fenway Park. The Red Sox first baseman thought it was an abdominal issue, but after trying to tough it out for a few days it eventually became clear this wasn’t an injury he could play through.

Now Casas is likely to miss several months with what the club described as a rib fracture, though after a series of examinations he likened to an anatomy lesson, Casas explained his injury is actually a bit more complex than a simple bone break.

“No ribs were fractured, it’s not a bone thing, it’s more of a cartilage thing,” Casas said in the Red Sox clubhouse Friday afternoon. “So there’s the rib cage and there’s the sternum, and there are pieces of cartilage that connect the two, and that’s what was torn.”

Casas said he was told by the doctors that his injury is much more common in football and hockey players, and he was asked if he’d been involved in any collisions that would merit some pain in his midsection. When he told them no, the doctors chalked it up to his being so big and rotating so fast so many times when he swings that his body couldn’t hold up.

“They said anywhere from three weeks to six weeks to nine weeks, they don’t know, it’s just depending on how my body is feeling,” Casas said. “Right now I’m still in pain to breathe, my lungs are still hitting my midsection. I’m still getting to like 75% capacity without pain, so the first step is to feel good breathing before I can move to cardio and then I’ll move into more anaerobic exercises and progress as I go there.”

GET WELL SOON, KING

Alex Cora said Triston Casas wanted to stay in baseball shape. He’s still about a month away from being eligible to return from the 60-day IL, but he’s been in the back of the dugout locked in on the timing of just about every pitch tonight…keeping things sharp @NESN pic.twitter.com/KWvM5cGU1h

— Jahmai Webster (@WebsterOnTV) May 15, 2024

This was pretty amazing too

Triston Casas must really miss playing. He’s been standing in the batter’s box for over 10 minutes. pic.twitter.com/xOBtdsXlO5

— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) May 12, 2024

I see that and I raise you:

Since he had the intial tweet about it, the show asked @bradfo about what the "uniquely interesting" Tristan Casas was up to at Fenway yesterday. pic.twitter.com/p5CJOPkbXP

— Jones & Mego with Arcand (@JonesandMego) May 14, 2024

Flemming was waxing lyrical for Casas in the early innings last night, saying it was becoming increasingly clear how much the Sox miss his bat, and beyond that the "intangibles" he brings (I think that was the word he used). Casas brings out the mysticism in people and I love it

Flemming could be a contributor to this thread, he loves him THAT much

Wait did you actually stay up and watch the whole game? You lunatic

Lol no this was in like inning 2 or 3!

I watch in hope of a big early inning that will put my mind at ease

You should know by now you can’t predict the mid sox

Oof

Yappin' with Triston. pic.twitter.com/QvrnNdfVJt

— Red Sox (@RedSox) June 17, 2024

Triston Casas casually dropping a story on national TV about his dad getting arrested during his little league game pic.twitter.com/WIk6ywUjsA

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 17, 2024

Kenley Janson sent Brayan Bello out to tell Triston Casas to give up the microphone cause he's talking way too much😂

🎥: @SNBonESPN pic.twitter.com/4zW7EistFK

— ᴄʜᴀsᴇ🏴‍☠️ (@BolieveInNix) June 17, 2024

This was an all-timer of a back-and-forth with Casas. Here's the exchange in its entirety. https://t.co/EiMq4cev6u pic.twitter.com/cK98v9ihLh

— Mac Cerullo (@MacCerullo) June 26, 2024

oh my god

He reminds me of Manny, who couldn’t wait to get into bed so that he could start doing batting practice in his dreams

Manny said drinking Red Bull gave him the energy to take batting practice in his dreams longer

xp imagine not liking this guy

Soon.

Back like he never left. pic.twitter.com/0Sp3sva7U4

— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) July 30, 2024

Eddy Alvarez, WooSox Clubhouse News. pic.twitter.com/K38PAnay0b

— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) July 30, 2024

One of the few bright spots on this team since he came back. Posting decent numbers despite looking lost at the plate on occasion - clearly nowhere near 100%. .342/.413/.512 with an OPS of .925. Sad to think about what this season could have been for him.

if he’s a 6-7 WAR player then the sox are in the wild card

I mean he’s a first baseman so I don’t know that that’s really achievable? Vladimir Guerrero Jr has 4.5 according to Fangraphs & probably finishes with at least one more unless he stops hitting in September. Even guys having great seasons like Freddie Freeman & Christian Walker haven’t cracked 4. (Actually checked Bryce Harper cos he was slumping recently & he’s 3.8, which is interesting as he’s having a relative down year).

Regardless it’s great to see what he’s produced already & this team is depressing as fuck but who knows what happens if he goes off in September? They should be prioritising his extension in the offseason.

(watching him for fantasy purposes) the homer he hit the other day vs the d backs was an absolute bomb. i feel like he must be doing okay health wise to generate the kinda explosion he did on that swing

He’s a big boy. He’s said that he feels most pain when he fouls off pitches because he has to get back in the box after a couple of seconds as opposed to hitting or striking out. Are you the person who had him on the fantasy roster? Rough season.

I saw him hit his sixth hr of the season the day before he went on the IL & the hr was like they say on TV: sounds different off the bat.

Anyway, here’s what Red Sox Stats says.

Since August 16th, the day Casas came off the IL, he ranks 3rd/194 in MLB in quality of contact. pic.twitter.com/PcyYxbYHa0

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) August 27, 2024

After slumping hard along with everyone else he’s having the best game of his career against Pablo Lopez & a LHP reliever - 3 home runs in 3 ABs with 7 RBIs driven in. Made some lovely plays at first too. If they trade him I’ll be so angry but they’d be incredibly stupid so.

I watched The Franchise about the 2011 Giants and at one point Bruce Bochy talks about all the media requests he gets for Brian Wilson. Bochy said “He’s good for baseball,” referring to the fact his then closer interested people as a personality.

Today the Athletic dropped this Casas article. Casas is the same, and it’s one of the reasons I think he’s going to be a star in the game.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5798196/2024/09/27/triston-casas-red-sox-most-interesting/?source=user_shared_article

You'll want to send him a thank-you card and some flowers, I know:

Note to Red Sox: talk about trading Triston Casas for some pitcher is crazy. Don't do it.

That is all.

— Bill James Online (@billjamesonline) October 18, 2024

The chance that Triston Casas will be a Hall of Fame quality hitter is 30 to 40%. Most likely he will not be. But what he almost certainly WILL be is Boog Powell or Kent Hrbek. You just don't trade those guys away before they get where they are going.

— Bill James Online (@billjamesonline) October 18, 2024

Lmao. I saw people talking about this. I hate Bill James as you know. The trade talk is so stupid but the Red Sox are stupid, so. Incident of “heartbreaking, the worst person you know”

King of the himbos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0eIuXyZfRI

- talks about doing handstands
- blatantly lying about how long his toenails have been painted orange
- “That’s the other debate, like is it pants up or is it socks up?” - i feel like baseball players would seriously debate this

https://i.imgur.com/z1pqaze.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/muiJ1GB.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/OUzxijg.jpeg

More professional version of this from soxprospects:

Physical Description: Strong, imposing frame. Thick, fully developed lower half.