Last week, the Boston Red Sox suffered a significant blow when first baseman Triston Casas tore his patellar tendon and was carted off the field at Fenway Park.
The young slugger is out for the season, and the Red Sox are going to need to find a replacement for him. They could look at various internal options, or they could go outside the organization.
The Red Sox are 18-19 and in second place in the weak American League East, so if they want to catch the New York Yankees, it might be worth it to grab a bat at the trade deadline.
Justin Leger of NBC Sports Boston proposed the idea of a reunion with Justin Turner.
“Among the most sensible trade options are Dominic Smith (New York Yankees), Jon Singleton (New York Mets), and Justin Turner (Chicago Cubs). Smith and Singleton have spent this season at Triple-A, and Turner has primarily come off the bench for Chicago,” Leger writes.
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Turner is struggling with the Cubs, slashing .184/.288/.184 with no home runs, seven RBI and a .472 OPS. However, when the 40-year-old is right, he can be a significant factor in a lineup.
The veteran infielder spent the 2023 season with the Red Sox and hit .276/.345/.455 with 23 home runs, 96 RBI and an .800 OPS. Even in his advanced age, Turner can still produce at a high level.
Fenway Park plays well for right-handed hitters as well, so a return to Boston wouldn’t be a bad thing for him.
The Cubs are currently leading the National League Central, but if he continues to struggle, they could let him go and leave him available for a team like the Red Sox to snag him.
It will certainly be interesting to see how things shake out. Turner performed well with Boston, and a return could help him find his stroke again.
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