The Boston Red Sox find themselves in dire need of a spark with a 10-19 record and a last-place spot in the American League East.
While there's plenty of blame pie to go around, most if it can be given to the club's abysmal offense. The Red Sox rank 27th in runs scored, and players not named Rafael Devers or Xander Bogaerts are batting under the Mendoza line at .198.
Tomase: These three players are holding the Red Sox' offense back
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Specifically, the first base position has been in the spotlight as Bobby Dalbec's struggles continue. The 26-year-old entered Monday slashing .139/.225/.215. through 26 games played. His ongoing issues have left many wondering whether now is the time to promote slugging first base prospect Triston Casas.
Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom recently poured some cold water on that idea. He wants Casas to spend more time with Triple-A Worcester to see how he responds to pitchers making adjustments.
“He had a really interesting and great developmental year last year but just because of how it was broken up with the Olympics, the moving levels, he wasn’t necessarily in one place for long enough to really have the league make a lot of adjustments to him and then for him having to adjust in return,” Bloom said, per MassLive.com's Christopher Smith.
Casas is hitting a solid .260/.373/.500 with six homers through 29 games with Worcester this season. The 22-year-old still needs to work on his approach vs. left-handers, however, as he's batting only .154 (4-for-26) against southpaws.
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Bloom wants Casas to figure a few more things out at the Triple-A level before being thrown into the fire.
“One of the things about the game today more than at any point maybe ever, certainly at any point I’ve been in it, is when you get to the major leagues, there is already a book on you. We have a lot of information,” Bloom said. “And you will get attacked the way you should be attacked from pitch one. So going through that period of making those adjustments is really important I think for any young hitter. ...
“Obviously looking at how he does vs. lefties, looking at how does he does vs. big league stuff is really important just knowing how here any young hitter is going to get attacked when they come up here."
Calling up Casas wouldn't be the solution to Boston's woes. As bad as Dalbec's been, he's just one of many Red Sox players who have been ice-cold during the skid. But if the season continues to spiral, Bloom may have no choice but to shake things up.