The Boston Red Sox don’t have much first base depth behind the incumbent Triston Casas.
Perhaps turning to an old friend could help.
FanSided’s Robert Murray reported Friday that Dominic Smith opted out of his minor-league deal with the New York Yankees. He had a rather productive spring in the Grapefruit League as a .297 hitter with three home runs and a .857 OPS.
Following the Yankees news, MassLive’s Chris Cotillo and Christopher Smith reported that a reunion between the Red Sox and Smith could be in the works to bring more depth to the Boston infield.
Smith stepped into that very role when Casas missed most of the summer last year with a rib injury. Smith hit .237 with a .704 OPS in 83 games for Boston. He got released when Casas returned healthy and briefly joined the Cincinnati Reds in 2024.
Smith turns 30 this summer but can still find value for Boston, though his left-handed bat is slightly redundant with Casas. Nonetheless, he’s a player to watch as a potential last-minute addition before Opening Day for the Red Sox on March 27 against the Texas Rangers.
MLB spring training is about to wrap up now that Opening Day 2025 is officially one week away. The end of the exhibition slate means it won’t be long before the winners of the Boston Red Sox’s spring position battles will be revealed, including when it comes to the closing pitcher job.
Kenley Jansen operated as the Red Sox’s primary closer in 2024, however, the veteran hurler has since joined the Los Angeles Angels in free agency. As a result, Liam Hendriks — who missed all of last season due to Tommy John surgery — and free-agent signing Aroldis Chapman have been competing for the Opening Day closer role.
