The Boston Red Sox have been fighting hard to overcome preseason expectations that they would be a last-place team in the American League East. After opening the season with a 7-3 road trip, they struggled to a 3-7 homestand. The one consistency to the team's performance to this point in the season has been a series of injuries. They apparently suffered another early in Saturday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates when slugging first baseman Triston Casas left the game in the first inning with a possible oblique injury.

Casas walked in the first inning when the Red Sox scored two runs in Pittsburgh. However, he appeared to reach for his oblique during one of the swings he had during the at bat. He made it to third base as the inning advanced, but when the Pirates came to bat in the bottom of the first, Casas did not go out to his position with his teammates. Instead, Bobby Dalbec moved from third base to first base and Pablo Reyes went to third bases and took over Casas' spot in the batting order.

The Red Sox came into the season as a team with limited depth, and they have been impacted dramatically by injuries in the first 22 games of the season. Shortstop Trevor Story was lost for the year when he broke a bone in his shoulder on the opening road trip. He was expected to play a key role for the Red Sox because of his superior fielding and strong hitting.

All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers has been battling shoulder and knee injuries since the start of the year, while outfielder Tyler O'Neill has been out for several games after a collision with Devers that resulted in O'Neill's concussion symptoms and a facial cut.

Pitching injuries have also impacted team; Casas update

It's not just key regulars that have been impacted by injury. The Red Sox have several pitchers that have also been forced to the sidelines.

Starters Nick Pivetta, Garrett Whitlock and reliever Isiah Campbell have all suffered injuries since the start of the season. Offseason acquisition Lucas Giolito went down after suffering a UCL injury in spring training, while Liam Hendricks is recovering from an elbow injury suffered in 2023 when he was a member of the Chicago White Sox.

Pivetta suffered an elbow injury but he appears to be on his way back to the rotation as he had a bullpen session scheduled Saturday. Whitlock had an oblique injury that forced him out of action Tuesday against the Indians. Campbell is on the 15-day Injured List.

As the Red Sox proceed with their game against the Pirates, the team announced that Triston Casas came out of the game with “left rib discomfort.” Casas' status for Sunday's game against the Pirates and whether he needs to go on the injured list will be determined after the game.