While the start Triston Casas' career came at an unfavorable time with the Red Sox pretty much out of playoff contention, the young lefty power hitter certainly made some fond memories along his debut stretch in Boston.
When talking with WEEI's Rob Bradford on Audacy Sports' "The Bradfo Sho," Casas went over one particular moment in his major league introductory season, which came against the rival New York Yankees.
"Definitely the one against (Gerrit) Cole," Casas told Bradford of his home run off the Yankees pitcher. "He's the top dog of the American League right now, especially in this division. Hadn't really broke out at that point. Was still kind of scuffling, and then wasn't knowing how I was gonna fare in my first Yankees-Red Sox rivalry game. ... Settled into the box and I got a good 2-0 count and he made a mistake over the middle of the plate -- which he rarely does -- and capitalized on it. And I was just joking with everybody that he gave me a rookie treatment and grooved me one, and gave me the benefit of the doubt and thought I wasn't gonna hit it."
During Boston's Sept. 13 matchup against the Yankees, Casas crushed a two-run homer against Cole, taking the 98-mph four-seam fastball to deep left centerfield on a 2-0 count over the Green Monster.
"I've been visualizing that moment, that at-bat versus Gerrit Cole since he signed that contract with the Yankees," Casas said. "He's the best pitcher in the American League right now in my opinion. Whenever I closed my eyes and visualized a pitcher on the mound, it was him. So, I think that at-bat was crazy, walking up to the plate for me, stepping in the box against him was really a surreal moment."
Surprisingly, Casas didn't refer to his first major league homer -- an unforgettable round-tripper for a plethora of reasons -- against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sept. 6, as the most memorable moment thus far.
Casa, who has four home runs in his 22-game debut stint with the Red Sox this season, has blasted three against the Yankees. In his last five games, the 22-year-old has hit .457/.700/.733, going 7-for-15 at the plate with one home run, one double and three RBIs.
