Red Sox fans shielded their eyes on Friday when outfielders Roman Anthony and Ceddanne Rafaela slammed into each other during a Spring Training game against the Braves. Fortunately, both players avoided serious injury, reports Tim Healey of MassLive.com. “[Anthony is a] really big guy,” Rafaela said. “Hits hard too … I just was hoping he’s OK. I was more worried about him than I was about me, because I saw him in some pain, and I don’t like seeing my teammates in those types of situations.”
While Anthony and Rafaela are good to go, the same can’t be said for Triston Casas. The first baseman is rehabbing from a torn patellar tendon suffered in May. While he’s making progress in his recovery, Casas is not a candidate to be on the Opening Day roster, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. The 26-year-old infielder is currently taking batting practice and participating in fielding drills. His effort and advancement at camp have drawn praise from management.
“It’s impressive,” Cora said. “He made the decision to stay here (in Fort Myers) in the offseason. The medical team, the trainers, and the strength and conditioning coaches, they did an amazing job with him.”
Cotillo added that Casas progressing to the point of playing in a Spring Training game remains a possibility. Boston wraps up its spring schedule on March 24 against the Twins.
The Red Sox went out and traded for Willson Contreras to handle everyday first base duties. The depth chart is uncertain behind the former Cardinal, though. Romy Gonzalez made 58 appearances at the position last season, but he’s likely to miss Opening Day due to a shoulder injury. The club intends to give utilityman Isiah Kiner-Falefa reps at first base in the spring. The free agent addition began his career as a catcher and has played eight positions in the majors. First base is the last one he needs to complete his positional versatility bingo card. Andruw Monasterio, acquired in the Caleb Durbin trade, has appeared in 20 games at first base, though only once as a starter.
On the pitching side, both Patrick Sandoval and Kutter Crawford tossed live batting practice on Friday, per Healey. Crawford missed the entire 2025 campaign while working his way back from a knee injury. Sandoval had Tommy John surgery midway through 2024.
Crawford held down a hybrid role in 2022 and 2023, but took over as a full-time starter in 2024. He delivered 183 2/3 innings of a 4.36 ERA. Crawford’s 3.85 xERA and 4.09 SIERA suggest he may have been a bit unlucky. The right-hander was set to be in the Boston rotation last season, but he hit the IL with right patellar tendinopathy in late March and never made it back.
Boston added Sandoval on a two-year deal last offseason with the understanding that he’d miss most or all of 2025. The left-hander has spent his entire six-year MLB career with the Angels. Sandoval came out of the gates throwing harder than ever in 2024, sitting at 93.7 mph with his four-seamer. He scuffled to an ERA over 5.00 across 16 starts before going down with an elbow strain in June.
Photo courtesy of Jonathan Dyer, Imagn Images