First base has emerged as a key concern for the Minnesota Twins this offseason. With free agent prices continuing to increase, their best option may be to trade for a replacement for key man. The Boston Red Sox could be a potential trade partner if they proceed with a plan to move one of their star players to first base.
The Red Sox are contemplating shifting key man to first as part of their roster upgrade efforts for the season. After exploring trade possibilities for Nolan Arenado and showing interest in signing Alex Bregman, it seems the move is more than just a possibility, which could lead to current first baseman Triston Casas being made available for trade.
Following their trade that sent Jovani Moran to Boston on Christmas Eve, the Twins may be in a prime position to contact the Red Sox if this plan goes through, potentially acquiring an affordable first baseman for 2025.
The Boston Red Sox have a good reason to move Rafael Devers from third base
The first step for the Red Sox is deciding whether to move Devers across the diamond. Devers has been a strong offensive presence, posting a .279/.345/.511 line over eight seasons in Boston, but his defense has been problematic, with -62 defensive runs saved and leading the American League in errors seven times.
Given that the Red Sox ranked second in the league with 115 errors last season, shifting Devers to first base could help improve their defense. Additionally, this move could address another issue by reducing Boston’s surplus of left-handed hitters, a concern highlighted by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic in September.
Rumors around this idea gained momentum when Jon Heyman of the New York Post suggested that moving Devers to first could open the door for a potential Bregman acquisition, citing Bregman’s connection to Alex Cora. Even if Bregman doesn’t come to Boston, MassLive’s Sean McAdam reported that the Red Sox could target Nolan Arenado in a trade, further fueling speculation that Devers’ position switch is part of a larger plan.
The Minnesota Twins should reach out to the Red Sox for a Triston Casas trade
The Twins likely need to wait for Rafael Devers’ position change to become official before making a move, but even if the Red Sox miss out on Nolan Arenado and Alex Bregman, they might still be open to trading Triston Casas.
The issue of left-handed hitters in Boston, mentioned by Ken Rosenthal, remains relevant. The Red Sox have six left-handed hitters in their lineup, including Casas, Devers, Jarren Duran, Masataka Yoshida, Wilyer Abreu, and David Hamilton. Top prospects Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer also bat left-handed, leaving the team in need of a right-handed bat.
Despite not being able to take full advantage of Fenway Park’s Green Monster, Casas has been a solid contributor early in his career. In 2023, the 25-year-old posted a career-high .263/.367/.490 line with 24 home runs and 65 RBIs in 132 games. Even with limited playing time in 2022 due to a rib injury, he hit .241/.337/.462 with 13 home runs and 32 RBIs.
A potential concern for the Twins could be Casas’s defense at first base, where he has logged -7 defensive runs saved over his first three MLB seasons. However, that hasn’t stopped teams from showing interest. According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Seattle Mariners inquired about Casas as part of a trade package for Luis Castillo.
With four years of team control left, Casas may come at a steep price, but the Twins could be creative in putting together a trade package. They could use Willi Castro to help shed salary and provide the Red Sox with a switch-hitting second baseman or trade the right-handed Jose Miranda to swap a controllable right-handed bat for a left-handed one.
This could also be part of a larger deal if the Twins decide to pursue Pablo López trade rumors or offer bullpen pieces like Griffin Jax or Jhoan Duran to sweeten the deal. There’s plenty of flexibility for both sides, and if the Twins are serious about upgrading at first base, Casas could be a viable target.
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