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Red Sox Manager Alex Cora Reveals Thoughts on Triston Casas’ Replacement

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sam Bernardi | Last updated May 7, 2025 9:16 PM ET

When the Boston Red Sox lost first baseman Triston Casas for the year after his knee surgery, it was unclear how they would replace him.

There have been murmurs of teaching Rafael Devers the three, an idealistic fix to an impending designated hitter and outfield logjam upon Masataka Yoshida’s return.

However, the natural fit and heir apparent, Romy González, is proving that he can be more than a bench piece for manager Alex Cora. The 28-year-old former 18th-round pick of the Chicago White Sox came to Boston off waivers in January 2024.

Here is what Cora told NESN about his new first baseman:

“Last year, he did an amazing job,” Cora said. “He was one of the best right-handed hitters against lefties if you look at the under-the-hood numbers. He did a great job for us last year. Very mature. Understands his job. He’s doing an amazing job for us right now.”

González only played in 89 games last season but had a .266 batting average, a .723 OPS, and a 100 OPS+, and showed off his defensive versatility by playing every position except for catcher.

Cora was not just handing out praise, either, as González raked against lefties with a .302 batting average, an .879 OPS, and all six of his home runs.

Now, as a potential everyday player (or, at least against southpaws) González will need to sustain those numbers to make up for the Casas loss. So far, so good. Through 49 at-bats and 16 games, González is batting .327 with an .831 OPS, and a 134 OPS+. Perhaps the most impressive part of his early success has been better splits against righties.

Another element of his game to watch out for is his speed. He has three steals on four attempts, putting him at a 162-game pace of 30. That figure feels unrealistic given the small sample size, but it demonstrates his ability to impact a game in a multitude of ways.

Hopefully for the Red Sox, González can grow into more than a depth, platoon piece and ease some of the first base production concerns.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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