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Red Sox roster moves: Veteran called up to replace Triston Casas; bullpen shuffled, too
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- Red Sox roster moves: Veteran called up to replace Triston Casas; bullpen shuffled, too
BOSTON — It's unclear exactly how the Red Sox will replace injured first baseman Triston Casas on a long-term basis . For now, though, they're turning to someone with experience for depth at the position.
Boston called up versatile veteran infielder Abraham Toro before Saturday's game against Minnesota and placed Casas on the 10-day injured list with a left patellar tendon rupture. He is expected to miss the rest of the season and will eventually shift to the 60-day IL . Also, lefty Brennan Bernardino , who was on bereavement leave, was activated from the bereavement list and righty Luis Guerrero was optioned to Triple-A Worcester.
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Toro was not on the 40-man roster so his contract was selected by the Red Sox . The 40-man roster is now full. Toro will wear No. 29.
Casas was stretchered off the Fenway Park field in the second inning of Friday's win after a collision at first base . The Sox revealed Saturday that he suffered a rupture of the patellar tendon, the tendon that connects the knee cap to the tibia bone.
"It's a big loss," chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said. "In addition to what we think we were gonna get on the offensive side, he was a stabilizing presence and made some nice plays in the field. Also, a big personality and a big part of the clubhouse and the team. He's going to be missed in all facets."
Toro, 28, is a veteran of 365 big league games over six seasons with Houston , Seattle , Milwaukee and Oakland. He signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox in late January and after spending spring training in big league camp, started the year in Triple-A, where he hit .323 with two homers, seven doubles and a .917 OPS in 27 games.
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Toro has logged time at first base, second base and third base so far for Worcester, including 44 innings at first. In the big leagues, he has primarily played second and third but has 90 career innings at first base, including 30 last year with the A's. He has also appeared sparingly in both corner outfield spots and is a career .220 hitter with a .638 OPS in the majors.
For now, Toro and Romy Gonzalez will platoon at first base in Casas' absence. Other internal options like Connor Wong and Rob Refsnyder aren't in consideration for reps at the spot yet and Cora was not keen on the idea of having Rafael Devers take grounders at first. Breslow all but ruled out the idea of either of the team's top prospects (Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer) getting work in at first base.
"We'll move him around," said manager Alex Cora, talking about Toro. "He'll play against righties, certain righties. We'll give Romy some at-bats. I want to see how it works out."
The Red Sox went with Toro, a switch-hitter, over Vaughn Grissom and Nick Sogard , primarily because of Toro's ability to hit left-handed. Grissom has only logged a handful of games at first base and would have been a bit redundant on a roster that includes right-handed hitters like Gonzalez and Refsnyder. Nathan Hickey is also at Triple-A and has played first base this year.
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"We've got Ref, we've got Romy. We can complement Romy and Toro and have a pretty good first baseman," Cora said. "That came into consideration."
Before the injury, Casas was hitting .184 with three homers, 11 RBIs and a .585 OPS in 28 games. He had started 26 of the first 33 games at first base with Romy Gonzalez mixing in for the other seven.
In the bullpen, the Red Sox will now have four lefties with Bernardino, who spent the last three days on the bereavement list, rejoining Sean Newcomb , Justin Wilson and closer Aroldis Chapman .
"One is the closer. We've got two situational lefties and a long man," Cora said. "It feels really good."
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Bernardino, in his third season in a Red Sox uniform, has pitched well so far, posting a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings of relief. He has allowed eight runs (but just three earned) while allowing seven hits and striking out 10 batters. The 33-year-old was placed on the bereavement list Wednesday and a decision needed to be made Saturday.
Guerrero, who has pitched well in a short big league stint, was the victim of a numbers crunch necessitated by the healthy return of starter Lucas Giolito . He struggled with command in spring training and didn't make the Opening Day roster but has struck out three and allowed just one hit in four scoreless innings since being called up on April 24. He has a 5.23 ERA in 10 ⅓ innings for the WooSox this season.
"He threw strikes, did an amazing job," Cora said. "It just so happens that this is where we're at."
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Read the original article on MassLive .
