The horrific scenes of players being stretchered off the field following a nasty collision or a rough tackle are common in football or soccer, but witnessing the same on a baseball field is quite rare. The Friday game between the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park saw a ‘horrible’ sight when the Red Sox’s first baseman suffered a severe injury to his left knee. 

The incident took place at the bottom of the second inning. While taking on Twins pitcher Joe Ryan, Red Sox’s first baseman Triston Casas made contact on a check-swing, resulting in a slow rolling ball down the first base line. Ryan huffed and puffed to reach the ball but bobbled it, leading to a hurried underhanded throw to first baseman Ty France. As Casas ran past first base, he collided with France, causing him to fall into the foul territory after stepping forcefully onto the bag. The situation alarmed the Sox dugout as the medical staff members, along with the manager, rushed to see Casas clutching his left knee in excruciating pain.

The atmosphere at Fenway Park grew jittery as the fans waited for their ace hitter to get back on his feet and leave the field. As he couldn’t get up, the medical staff stretchered him off the field and later took him to a nearby hospital.

Echoing the sentiment of everyone, teammate Alex Bregman opened up about how much Casas’ injury affected the entire team at the park. His injury also proved to be a massive jolt to the franchise, upsetting the balance of the side. But at the end of the day, all the Sox’s icon can do is wish for Casas’ speedy recovery. 

“Horrible, obviously, we’re all thinking about him and hoping for the best. Great teammate, and you hate to see that happen. We’re all thinking about him right now,” Bregman told NESN after the match. “It’s tough. We’re a big family here that comes to the ballpark every single day together, and to see one of your guys go down like that, it’s really tough,” he added. 

Bregman’s comments came in the aftermath of collective concerns and anxiety within the Red Sox camp. The ‘family culture’ in the clubhouse is evident, which his also a big reason for their successful start to the season. Bregman himself has been instrumental in instilling this feeling in the camp, following his high-profile move from the Astros. 

Red Sox shortstop, Trevor Story, also went on the record to suggest that the team’s ‘energy shift’ was pretty evident the moment Casas went down. Joining in the chorus, pitcher Tanner Houck stated that the entire team is ‘hurting’ as they ‘train every day with each other to go to war every five nights.’ That’s why witnessing one of their teammate from their camp injured takes a hit emotionally.

This development has only increased the headaches for manager, Alex Cora, as Casas has been one of their vital cogs in their campaign. His plate discipline and power hitting was integral to Boston’s lineup, boasting a batting average of .184 with three home runs, 11 RBIs and a .585 OPS in 28 games.

The Red Sox manager revealed that he, along with the entire team, was in ‘shock,’ and couldn’t believe the injury had happened until the diagnosis was confirmed. It was later announced that the 24-year-old suffered a rupture of the patellar tendon, which provides a connection between the knees and the bones. This means that the Bay State-based franchise is looking at a long absence of Caras from the lineup.

Red Sox announce replacement for injured Triston Casas

To cope with this unforeseen circumstance, the Red Sox have now named Abraham Toro from Triple-A, according to reporter Christopher Smith. Interestingly, Toro wasn’t part of the 40-man roster and received a call over the available internal options of Nick Sogard and Vaughn Grissom. With the return of Casas’ unknown, the Red Sox are looking at a long-term option in the form of veteran Toro. 

The Canadian player brings in expertise in 365 major league games spanning teams in Houston, Seattle, Milwaukee, and Oakland. It was only in January 2025 that Toro penned a minor league deal with the Red Sox. The management came to the decision to hand him a deal after notable performance in the spring training camp with the seniors, where he hit .323 batting average with two home runs, seven doubles and a .917 OPS in 27 games.

For now, Toro is expected to share playing time with Romy Gonzalez. With Bernandino rejoining the team after three-day bereavement, interestingly now, the bull-pen area will see four lefties featuring Sean Newcomb, Justin Wilson and closer Aroldis Chapman.