Inside The Cardinals

Red Sox Could Trade For Cardinals Slugger To Replace 1B Triston Casas

St. Louis might have a perfect solution at first base for Boston
Nate Hagerty|
Apr 25, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (36) prepares for a second inning at-bat against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Apr 25, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (36) prepares for a second inning at-bat against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

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The St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox were linked in Nolan Arenado trade rumors several times throughout the offseason but perhaps a new target could emerge.

Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas tragically ruptured the patellar tendon in his left knee during Boston's 6-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins last Friday. Two days later, the 25-year-old underwent surgery, ending his 2025 season.

Although the Red Sox have several options from their farm system to replace Casas for the remainder of the year, they might want to consider making a move for a young Cardinals slugger who isn't being used enough by St. Louis.

Cardinals homegrown 1B Luken Baker would be a perfect trade chip to help the Red Sox fill their lineup void created by Casas's season-ending knee surgery.

With three-time All-Star Willson Contreras occupying first base for the foreseable future in St. Louis, Baker hasn't logged many plate appearances this season -- batting .212 with seven hits including two doubles, two RBIs and a .623 OPS in just 33 at-bats across 18 games played for the Cardinals.

Despite holding Triple-A Memphis' franchise record with 86 home runs throughout 318 games played acrossed four seasons, one of which included just two games, Baker has been criminally underused by the Cardinals as they figure out how to repair their broken player development system while undergoing an organizational reset.

Baker is a pull-power right-handed slugger whose stats would significantly improve if he had the opportunity to play half of his seasons at Boston's hitter-friendly Fenway Park, which was a strong argument for why Arenado fit for the Red Sox when the Cardinals tirelessly looked to trade him this past winter.

Given that St. Louis is actively investing in its youth, it's doubtful Baker would be traded to Boston. However, if the Cardinals could land a solid top prospect haul from the Red Sox's farm system, which ranks No. 3 according to MLB.com, then trading the powerful 28-year-old could work.

Would Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak risk foolishly trading another homegrown talent prematurely in his final season at the helm before former Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom supercedes him in 2026?

More MLB: Cardinals Encouraged To Trade With Surprise AL Contender For Nolan Arenado

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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