The Boston Red Sox have long been searching for a reliable first baseman who can hold down the position for years to come, and for a while it seemed like Triston Casas was going to be that player. The organization has viewed him as a potential cornerstone, but injuries and inconsistency have derailed those plans. Casas has only managed to appear in 92 games over the past two seasons, and after already missing extended time with a season-ending injury, he simply hasn’t looked like the same hitter this year.
That reality may push Boston to finally pivot in another direction. Fansided’s Jake Elman recently Confirmed that the Red Sox could make a run at Kazuma Okamoto, a star first baseman from Japan’s NPB who is expected to command a contract north of \$50 million once he makes the leap to Major League Baseball.
Okamoto has the kind of bat that could immediately transform a lineup. Despite losing more than three months of the season to a left elbow injury, he’s returned to the Yomiuri Giants looking sharp, posting 11 home runs, 16 RBIs, and a .960 OPS in just 222 plate appearances. That kind of production has teams across the league taking notice, and Elman argued that Boston would be an ideal landing spot.
He explained that some clubs might debate whether Okamoto profiles best as a corner infielder or a designated hitter, but the Red Sox could use him in either role. More importantly, he could step into first base right away — a position Boston hasn’t truly solidified since Casas went down earlier this year.
For a team that has cycled through options without finding a durable, consistent presence at first base in decades, Okamoto represents a potential solution. If Boston believes he can stay healthy and be a middle-of-the-order threat, this offseason could be the time to use their available cap space to make a serious push for him. If Casas can’t be the answer, Okamoto just might be.