While Alex Cora said Triston Casas’ injury could have been worse, the Red Sox manager says the first baseman still faces a long road back.

However, the natural fit and heir apparent, Romy González, is proving that he can be more than a bench piece for manager Alex Cora. The 28-year-old former 18th-round pick of the Chicago White Sox came to Boston off waivers in January 2024.

If Casas does return this season, it’s not going to be for a long time and that’s a big loss. Casas has not hit well, but he had an .830 OPS and 42 home runs over 222 games from 2002-24. The Sox were counting on him to provide power in the middle of the order.