The Boston Red Sox brought back Triston Casas from the 60-day injured list on Friday with hopes of boosting their lineup. Casas, who hit 24 home runs and had an .856 OPS last season, had been sidelined since April 21 with a left ribcage strain. The 24-year-old first baseman returned to the lineup on Friday night against the Baltimore Orioles batting third.

Boston manager Alex Cora emphasized the importance of Casas’ ability to hit the ball out of the park, stating that it could benefit the team’s offensive output. To clear space for Casas, the Red Sox designated first baseman/designated hitter Dominic Smith for assignment. Smith, who batted .237 with six home runs and 34 RBIs in 83 games, provided valuable guidance to his teammates.

Despite recent struggles, with six losses in the last eight games, the Red Sox are still in contention for an AL wild-card spot. They anticipate an additional boost with the return of outfielder Tyler O’Neill on Saturday, who has been out since August 4 due to a left leg infection. O’Neill boasts a .268 batting average with 22 homers in 80 games.

Further roster moves saw the reinstatement of right-hander Cooper Criswell from the COVID-19 injured list, while rookie Chase Shugart was optioned to Triple-A Worcester after impressing in his major league debut with 2 2/3 innings against the Orioles.