Red Sox Slugger Named American League Rookie Of The Year Finalist

Triston Casas worked hard to shine in his first full season in the big leagues with the Boston Red Sox.

After a solid campaign, Casas earned the chance at accolades as a finalist for the American League Rookie of the Year award. Casas joins infielder Gunnar Henderson of the Baltimore Orioles and right-handed pitcher Tanner Bibee of the Cleveland Guardians as the 2023 finalists.

“It was amazing,” Casas shared on MLB Network on being named as a finalist. “With this year’s rookie class, I didn’t know where I was going to finish. … There was an emergence of a rookie class this year unlike any other.”

Through the first two months of the season, awards conversations were not suitable for Casas. The Boston first baseman hit just .195 through the end of May in a slow adjustment period at the plate. Once the summer turned the corner, so did the Red Sox rookie.

Casas hit 18 home runs after the start of June, including a massive month of July with seven long balls while hitting .348 with a 1.149 OPS to win American League Rookie of the Month.

“I got to a position during the middle months where stuff started to heat up, and so did I,” Casas explained. “It was a trickle-down effect. One adjustment led into the other, which was constant progress throughout the year. It’s a credit to the coaching staff and the front office for giving me the opportunity to fail and find my groove. It was only a matter of time. I felt like I was confident in myself and so were they.”

As one of the league’s best bats in the second half, Casas finished his rookie campaign slashing .263/.367/.490, tallying 24 home runs with 65 RBIs with a .856 OPS.

Casas becomes the first Red Sox rookie to earn a spot as a finalist since Andrew Benintendi in 2017. Dustin Pedroia remains the last Red Sox rookie to win the award back in 2007.

The winner for 2023 will be announced on Nov. 13.