Red Sox Fans Will Love This Former All-Star Raving About Triston Casas

The Red Sox are battling like hell for a playoff spot, and following a post-break swoon, they have rebounded on an impressive recent road trip. Things could get even better for Boston very soon.

Standout first baseman Triston Casas was on a 40-home run pace when he went down with an injury in late April. A long, grueling rehab seemingly is nearing its end, and the slugger should be back with the big club sooner than later as he puts the finishing touches on a stint with Triple-A Worcester.

Casas' methods are slightly unconventional, especially in a sport like baseball, but it has worked for him up to this point. The 24-year-old has leaned on that process while trying to get back from a painful rib injury, and he has a believer in a former teammate who knows what it takes to excel as a major league first baseman and play championship baseball.

Former All-Star first baseman Eric Hosmer was a guest on NESN's "Unobstructed Views" on Tuesday night during Boston's eventual win over Kansas City. The ex-Royals (and eventually Red Sox) infielder got a look at Casas in a very brief stint with Boston in 2022, but he couldn't help but be impressed by, well, everything.

"Triston's got way more pop than I do, bro, I'll tell you what, I would have started painting my nails if I could hit homers like he does," Hosmer said. "I will say this, man: Triston, his routine, his process, his mental game is so far advanced from everybody else. I remember his debut when I was out there,e it was a day game, and he's out there at nine in the morning doing yoga, just shirtless on the middle of Fenway Park. Everyone's like 'What's he doing out there?' and I'm like, bro, I love it. The fact that he's confident enough to go out there and do it, stay true to yourself, buddy."

Casas, like many young players, endured some growing pains after making his debut, hitting just .197 in his first taste of the bigs in 2022. He showed his potential last season, his first extended taste of big league ball, hitting .263 with 24 home runs and 65 RBIs to go along with an .856 OPS. He finished third in American League Rookie of the Year voting, showing real signs of being the player everyone in the organization believes he'll become.

"To see him grow into what he is now," Hosmer added, "he's going to take over that franchise. I think it's pretty obvious. Even when I got traded over there, it was like, hey man, listen, come try to help us for the second half, but we've got a guy here who's going to be the guy for 10, 15 years, and he's every bit of that."

Casas should get his next chance to make that impact sooner than later, and it could come at the perfect time for the surging Red Sox.