July 1, 2024

Derek Shelton on direction of Pirates after win over Yankees - YouTubeRed Sox considering former All-Star in wake of Triston Casas injury

The Red Sox lost first baseman Triston Casas for a yet-to-be-determined but significant period Tuesday, as the 24-year-old slugger was diagnosed with a left rib fracture. Manager Alex Cora said at the time that Bobby Dalbec would get the bulk of playing time at first base in place of Casas, but it seems the Sox are also mulling the possibility of going outside the organization. Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports that Boston has initially talked about bringing veteran C.J. Cron back to the organization.

Cron, 34, was with the Sox during spring training but was granted his release in late March after he triggered an opt-out clause. The veteran slugger saw action in six spring games and went 3-for-15 with a pair of walks. He remains unsigned.Derek Shelton on direction of Pirates after win over Yankees - YouTube

Middling as those small-sample spring numbers may be, Cron has a long and generally productive track record at the big-league level. He’s a career .260/.320/.471 hitter who’s hit 25 or more home runs in four different seasons, including a 29-homer campaign as recently as the 2022 season with the Rockies. Cron hit .260/.304/.476 and popped 11 homers in 56 games with the Rox last season before being traded to the Angels — his original organization — at the deadline. He slumped to a .200/.259/.260 line in 15 games post-trade, and twice hit the injured list due to lower back troubles over the season’s final two months.Derek Shelton on direction of Pirates after win over Yankees - YouTube

Cron has had four IL placements due to back and neck injuries since the 2021 season, and he missed the majority of the shortened 2020 campaign after damaging a ligament in his knee while fielding a grounder — an injury that eventually required surgery. It’s been a tough few years on the health front, but Cron has typically been a productive bat when he’s been on the field. Given that he’s still unsigned after opting out of a minor league deal, one would imagine the cost to sign him would also be affordable.

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