The Boston Red Sox continue shaping their roster ahead of spring training as rumors intensify around internal playing-time decisions. Early roster-crunch scenarios are already taking shape before Opening Day arrives.
Boston faces a unique lineup puzzle tied directly to Triston Casas’ injury recovery and its ripple effects. Casas remains sidelined after suffering a ruptured left patellar tendon last season, forcing the organization to rethink early-season at-bats.
Casas is not expected to be fully cleared until around May 1, effectively ruling him out for Opening Day. That timeline creates temporary clarity for the left-handed hitter’s role, at least during the first month of the season.
Masataka Yoshida enters 2026 with two years remaining on his contract and is projected to start the month of April as Boston’s primary designated hitter, with Willson Contreras expected to start at first base.
MLB.com's Ian Browne outlined the situation in a recent article published to the league’s official website. Browne identified Casas’ delayed recovery as one of three major storylines shaping Boston’s early-season direction.
“Casas likely won’t be a full go until May 1 or so as he recovers from a ruptured left patellar tendon. That might allow the Sox to slow-play his situation. It seems likely he will take his first at-bats while on a 20-day Minor League rehab assignment. He also has options remaining, so the Sox could extend his stay in Triple-A Worcester to help Casas regain his timing. But once he is ready, the Sox will need a place to put him. Designated hitter is one place he could go.”
Browne also raised the downstream implications for Yoshida.
“But then what about Masataka Yoshida, who hasn’t yet put it together for a full season but has shown flashes when healthy? Yoshida has two years left on the five-year contract he was signed to when Chaim Bloom was running Boston’s front office.”
The timeline effectively delays Boston’s most difficult roster decision until May. April becomes a proving ground for Yoshida, whose performance could influence whether the Red Sox explore trade options or absorb a challenging financial commitment.
