AL East Notes: Casas, Cole, Bichette

The Purple Sox bought some excellent news concerning the standing of first baseman Triston Casas yesterday. As he advised Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe, Casas has begun taking dry swings as he works his method again from torn cartilage in his midsection. Casas indicated that if he continues feeling good after a couple of days of dry swings, he’ll start making contact with a ball. McWilliams added that Casas hopes to be again within the Purple Sox lineup in time for a sequence in opposition to the Marlins that begins on July 2.

If Casas is actually simply two weeks away from a return to the majors, that might be an enormous aid for a Purple Sox lineup that has sorely missed his presence. Whereas the membership’s total manufacturing since he final performed on April 20 remains to be robust, with a 107 wRC+ that ranks eighth within the majors over that point, their wRC+ at first base has sat at simply 98, under common total and properly under the manufacturing of a median first baseman. After all, Casas is a good deal higher than the typical first baseman; the 24-year-old’s 160 wRC+ for the reason that All Star break final yr is the Eleventh-best determine within the majors over that timeframe and second solely to Freddie Freeman amongst first basemen.

As famous by McWilliams, it’s removed from assured that Casas will be capable of attain his goal date for a return, at the same time as he’s begun swinging a bat and operating the bases. McWilliams relays that supervisor Alex Cora was extra cautious in his feedback concerning Casas’s timeline, noting that whereas “hopefully” Casas is again throughout the Miami sequence, the membership additionally intends to be “good” concerning his rehab and never rush him again earlier than he’s prepared. Within the meantime, the Purple Sox determine to depend on a mix of Dominic Smith and Bobby Dalbec at first base.

Extra from across the AL East…

• Yankees ace Gerrit Cole made his third rehab begin on Friday, hanging out ten batters in 4 1/3 innings on the Triple-A degree. Whereas neither Cole nor supervisor Aaron Boone would decide to Cole’s subsequent begin for the membership coming within the majors in dialog with reporters yesterday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post noted that he felt good each instantly after the outing and the following day and that his return to the large leagues will come “quickly.” A fast return to the mound for Cole can be unbelievable information for the Yankees, because the 2023 AL Cy Younger award winner would certainly bolster an already-excellent rotation that sports activities the league’s finest ERA getting into play as we speak.
• Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette has been out of the lineup for the previous two video games resulting from what supervisor John Schneider described to reporters (together with MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson) as soreness in his proper calf. It’s been a tricky season on the plate for Bichette, who’s hitting an uncharacteristically poor .237/.286/.342 in 276 journeys to the plate with Toronto this yr. Isiah Kiner-Falefa has dealt with shortstop in Bichette’s absence, and each Ernie Clement and Addison Barger have previous expertise on the place if additional depth choices are wanted. Infielders Orelvis Martinez and Leo Jimenez are each on the 40-man roster and will step into the large leagues within the occasion that Bichette finally requires a visit to the injured checklist.