Why Jonathan Papelbon thinks Triston Casas can become a similar hitter to David Ortiz

“I think he’s got the power. I think he reminds me a lot of Ortiz in the fact that that wall, he’s using that wall to his advantage."

Triston Casas made his way onto the 10-day IL with right shoulder inflammation. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

January 28, 2024

3 minutes to read

Triston Casas came on strong at the end of his rookie season, prompting some to have high hopes for him entering the 2024 season.

Jonathan Papelbon is chief among them. The former Red Sox star turned NESN analyst compared the first baseman to David Ortiz, particularly due to their swings and how Casas can use Fenway Park to his advantage in a way that’s similar to what the Hall of Famer did.

“I’m expecting 25 [home runs] or more [in 2024], easy,” Papelbon said on the “Play Tessie” podcast of Casas. “I think he’s got the power. I think he reminds me a lot of Ortiz in the fact that that wall, he’s using that wall to his advantage. As a left-handed hitter in Fenway Park you don’t have to pull the ball so there is always an advantage as a left-handed hitter.

“We may not have David Ortiz if he doesn’t come to Fenway, to be totally honest with you. It changed his whole career.”

Ortiz revitalized his career he signed with the Red Sox in 2003, heading to Boston after the Twins released him. Ortiz quickly became one of the best hitters in Fenway Park’s long history shortly after joining the Red Sox, slashing .310/.407/.587 with 222 home runs and 842 RBIs over 1,014 career games in Boston (including his stint with Minnesota).

Casas didn’t put up those kind of numbers at Fenway last season, but he still hit really well. He slashed .274/.399/.491 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs in 67 home games last year.

Papelbon acknowledged Casas might not become the Hall of Fame hitter that Ortiz was, but he believes the slugger is ready to be a the key hitter in the Red Sox’ lineup. He also thinks Casas is looking to prove he can be even better than he was in 2023.

“I’m liking what I see out of him,” Papelbon said. “Not only that, I think he understands that going into this year, ‘I’m going to be pitched a little bit different. I’m going to have to be a little more patient. I’m going to have to pass the baton, so to speak, to the guy that’s hitting behind me.’ It’s going to have to be a little bit different approach because he will get pitched different. But he knows that and he’s expecting that, so that’s what I like.

“I challenged him to have a better year than he did last year,” Papelbon added. “A lot of kids, I feel like, would’ve been satisfied with his year last year and I don’t think he was. I really truly don’t think he was.”

While Casas finished third in American League Rookie of the Year voting, the 2023 season wasn’t strong for him from start to finish. He hit .133 with a .576 OPS in the first month of the season before slashing .317/.417/.617 with 15 homers in 54 games in the second half of the season.

Casas finished the year with a .263/.367/.490 slash line with 24 home runs and 65 RBIs, proving to be one of the game’s top-hitting first basemen at just 23.

As Casas turned 24 earlier in January, Papelbon isn’t alone in thinking the first baseman can take a step forward in 2024. ESPN’s David Schoenfield listed Casas as the American League’s starting first baseman in his “way-too-early” All-Star predictions for 2024.

“After a slow start, Casas turned into the hitter that scouts had projected him to be, slashing .307/.398/.568 over his final 78 games,” Schoenfield wrote of Casas. “I don’t know if he’s that good, but he has excellent plate discipline, plus power and — unlike [Vlad] Guerrero, who pounds the ball into the ground too often — optimal launch angle.”

Whether Casas will be named an All-Star or not in 2024 obviously remains to be seen, but he certainly appears to be on the trajectory.