Like each different baseball fan, I’m making offers in my head all offseason lengthy and wishing for this, that, and the opposite. In fact, most of us shall be upset as a result of there are solely so many free brokers to go round. We Red Sox followers have been upset various occasions these previous a number of offseasons. Guarantees, which I received’t re-litigate proper now, have been made and never saved.
Regardless of that, I really feel fairly assured that Craig Breslow will signal a quantity two starter for us this yr. I’m “listening to” that Alex Bregman is more likely to come again into the fold. However I’ve “heard” different issues too, and who is aware of what’s actual within the offseason! Truthfully, any of it could possibly be chess strikes, smoke and mirrors, or wishful pondering. However let’s go together with it: at this time limit, I really feel like this deal has an excellent likelihood of getting carried out, particularly since either side sound keen. Bregman is constant, and invaluable within the clubhouse, even when he’s not the facility bat we’d like…however I really feel like Breslow will discover some form of answer for that too. Am I as soon as once more overestimating what the Purple Sox are keen to do in an offseason? Time will inform.
For me, it begins to get murky once we come to guys like Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell. The place are they going to play? Are they as much as the job? Talking of infield…Craig Breslow wouldn’t commit to Triston Casas at first base. It feels like he’s purchasing round. Others are actively campaigning for different choices at first base. Lou Merloni has complimented NPB star Kazuma Okamoto whereas sporting a polar bear profile picture on his X account.
This brings me to my very own greatest query of the offseason proper now: what’s going to occur to Triston Casas? Not first base; it’s Triston I’m occupied with.
Does he fear about his job with the Red Sox or does he suppose he’s going to emerge from the wreckage of his 2025 season, mud off the particles, and completely crush it in 2026? Figuring out Triston, he’s listening to a Headspace meditation proper this second in Ft. Myers, as chill as will be. Or perhaps he’s having fun with a large breakfast, or earthing, or doing one thing to feed his soul. I imply that in a great way, and I do hope he’s centered.
What do gamers suppose within the offseason? Those who’re basically attempting to battle their manner again, I imply. I truly discover myself worrying about this. Possibly it’s as a result of I’ve been down with my very own accidents for a sustained interval, and I do know that it may be grueling, even mess together with your head. However elite skilled athletes are made of various stuff than somebody like me.
I used to be listening to a podcast throughout one of many earlier playoff rounds final month—sorry, I don’t keep in mind which one, or who was talking—about how a group may chip away at an enormous deficit in a playoff sequence and claw their manner again to win it. The query was mainly, “As a participant, when do you begin to fear?” A former huge leaguer whose group had not battled again and had gone on to lose such a sequence stated one thing to the impact of, “We thought we had it the entire manner; we had full confidence each evening that we’d win that sport and we all the time thought we’d come again. We have been shocked when out of the blue it was throughout. We by no means even knew we have been in bother.”
Is that what it’s like for Triston, or any participant battling again? Does he suppose he’s going to make it again? Will he? What’s his future within the huge leagues? Can he keep wholesome? Nathaniel Lowe being cut earlier this week introduced these worries again to the forefront for me. Nobody has dedicated to Casas—and I see the knowledge in that. However I’m apprehensive on his behalf, perhaps unreasonably so.
First base is one other one of many knots that Craig Breslow should untangle this offseason. That is among the agonizing pleasures of the offseason, when every thing continues to be doable, something can occur, however you simply don’t know the way the hell it’s all going to work itself out.
