Red Sox Imрlored Not To Trаde Young Stаr By Insіder: 'Cараble Of 40 Homers'

The possibilities are still endless for the Boston Red Sox this winter.

May 22, 2018; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A general view of Boston Red Sox hats and gloves laying in the dugout at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Yes, Boston lost out on the first of the free-agent aces on Tuesday, as Blake Snell signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, there are still dozens of quality free agents to be had, plus potential trades, and the Red Sox can get creative when it comes to upgrading the roster.

There's one scenario consistently being posed, though, that many find confusing. 24-year-old first baseman Triston Casas, coming off an injury-plagued season, has been floated repeatedly as a trade candidate that Boston could use to acquire starting pitching.

With those trade whispers continuing to linger, one Major League Baseball insider is acting as the voice of reason.

On Tuesday, Robert Murray of FanSided urged the Red Sox not to consider trading Casas, barring some miracle in which one of the truly elite superstars became available in such a trade.

"Scouts view Casas as a player capable of hitting 40 homers in a season. And even after missing most of the 2024 season with an injury, he has the power and plate discipline that has many industry observers optimistic that he can reach that potential before too long," Murray said.

"Moving Casas would be a mistake. It would be a mistake felt in 2025 and beyond and is something that Red Sox executive Craig Breslow simply cannot do unless an opportunity too good to be true comes along."

Those who watched the Red Sox closely over the last two seasons know how special Casas can be. He was a top-five hitter in MLB after the All-Star break in 2023 and although his rib injury derailed his 2024 season, he still flashed his brilliance with a three-homer game in late September.

Casas isn't one of the pieces you trade to build a winning roster. He's a foundational piece of that winning roster. Boston would be wise to keep him at first base for many years to come.