Pink Sox Notes: Casas, Hendriks, Mata

In an odd second of miscommunication earlier this month, Pink Sox first baseman Triston Casas told reporters earlier this month that he had begun to take dry swings whereas rehabbing torn cartilage in his midsection. That was thrilling information concerning the 24-year-old’s progress, however MassLive’s Sean McAdam famous earlier this week that Casas’s earlier feedback don’t seem to have been solely correct.

“Oh, no, simply in my thoughts,” Casas stated (as relayed by McAdam) when requested to elaborate on his earlier feedback about taking swings. “With no bat, simply in my head. I’ve taken hundreds of at-bats like that. I really feel nice.”

Regardless of Casas’s beforehand reported step in the direction of swinging a bat apparently having been solely imaginary, McAdam famous that the slugger had actually resumed swinging on Wednesday, when he swung a bat 20 occasions after an MRI the day prior to this revealed that his ribcage had healed correctly. As famous by MassLive’s Christopher Smith earlier right now, supervisor Alex Cora informed reporters that Casas has subsequently ramped as much as 30 swings and is feeling some “basic soreness” as he kicks again into gear and prepares for his return to the majors. Cora went on to counsel that the soreness might not influence Casas’s timeline a lot, including that he would possibly resume swinging as quickly as tomorrow and will proceed to do some baseball exercise right now. Regardless of the soreness not being a lot of a problem, nonetheless, Cora instructed that it’s unlikely that the primary baseman will return to motion within the majors earlier than the All Star break.

Thats not essentially surprising, given the truth that Casas hasn’t seen sport motion since late April and can absolutely want a rehab project to get again up to the mark. Whereas that post-All Star break goal is a far cry from the July 2nd date Casas floated for his return earlier this month, its not essentially stunning that he could be about two weeks behind that schedule given the truth that he didn’t begin swinging a bat till about two weeks after he first indicated he was resuming doing so.

Whatever the uncommon scenario, Casas’s return is bound to offer a shot within the arm for a Pink Sox membership that has loved a 10-4 document over their final 14 video games. Regardless of that sturdy current efficiency vaulting them firmly into the AL Wild Card combine alongside groups just like the Royals and Twins, Boston’s offense has posted a comparatively pedestrian wRC+ of simply 102 since Casas went down with damage, and Dominic Smith has slashed a paltry .209/.308/.317 (78 wRC+) in 47 video games filling in for Casas at first base. That’s a far cry from the manufacturing the younger slugger supplied when wholesome within the first month of the season, as Casas will boast a .244/.344/.513 slash line on the season when he returns to the lineup, though that got here in a pattern measurement of simply 90 journeys to the plate.

Casas isn’t the one doubtlessly impactful piece who’s on the highway to restoration from damage. Veteran nearer Liam Hendriks, who the Pink Sox signed to a two-year, $10MM guarantee over the winter, underwent Tommy John surgical procedure again in August of final 12 months when he was nonetheless a member of the White Sox however has lengthy been concentrating on a return to the large league mound round or shortly after this 12 months’s commerce deadline, which has been set for July 30. Hendriks has been making stable progress in that pursuit, as Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reported that after throwing a 15-pitch bullpen session earlier this week he adopted it up with a 20-pitch bullpen yesterday. McCaffrey added that Hendriks stated that he was “feeling good” following yesterday’s and that the plan is for him to maneuver up from two bullpen periods to 3 subsequent week earlier than figuring out subsequent steps past that.

Seeing as Hendriks has already resumed throwing, it appears doubtless that he could be on tempo to return someday in August as beforehand anticipated. Whereas the 35-year-old was restricted to simply 5 innings of labor final 12 months between his aforementioned Tommy John surgical procedure and a battle with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that triggered him to overlook the primary half of the season, the veteran hurler has lengthy been thought to be one of many league’s high bullpen arms. From 2019 to 2022, Hendriks pitched to a sensational 2.26 ERA (188 ERA+) and a pair of.13 FIP whereas placing out an eye-popping 38.8% of batters confronted in a mixed 239 innings of labor. Including a participant with that type of resume to a bullpen that’s already employs Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin within the late innings may make for a deadly three-headed monster behind the Pink Sox bullpen down the stretch if Hendriks is ready to keep on monitor and return wholesome.

Becoming a member of Hendriks in working his approach again from a largely misplaced 2023 season is right-hander Bryan Mata, who pitched simply 27 innings final 12 months on account of a strained teres main muscle. The proper-hander and former high prospect for the Pink Sox has but to make his huge league debut, however is a very fascinating case given the truth that he’s out of choices and might want to both be added to the membership’s energetic roster or subjected to waivers as soon as wholesome sufficient to return to motion. It’s long been considered unlikely that Mata would clear waivers with out being claimed by one other membership, that means that 30 days after Mata begins a rehab project, the Pink Sox might want to decide concerning his future within the group.

As noted by Smith earlier this afternoon, Mata started a rehab project for the membership earlier this month and reached the Triple-A stage on Thursday. The proper-hander impressed in 2 2/3 innings of labor as his fastball reached 97.8 mph, although he surrendered two runs on two hits and a stroll through the look. He’ll comply with that efficiency up with one other rehab begin with Worcester this coming Tuesday. That sample figures to proceed for the rest of his rehab project, as Cora informed reporters (together with Smith) that the membership plans to maintain Mata on a starter’s schedule however restrict him two or three innings per look.

Whereas Mata hasn’t loved a lot success amid injury-marred campaigns in 2023 and 2024, it’s not laborious to see why the Pink Sox would wish to hold the righty within the fold. In any case, it was simply two seasons in the past when the teen dazzled with 83 innings of labor unfold throughout 4 ranges of the minors that noticed him submit a 2.49 ERA whereas placing out 30.3% of batters confronted. If he can submit something near these numbers within the majors, even in a bullpen position, he would absolutely be a worthwhile asset to the Pink Sox as they try to chase their first playoff look since 2021.