Red Sox Linked To Ex-Blue Jays Slugger In Free Agency After Strong Season

The Boston Red Sox will miss one of their most important hitters for the foreseeable future.

Boston recently lost first baseman Triston Casas as he deals with torn cartilage in his ribs. It's unclear just how long it will take for him to be able to start preparing to return. It could be as few as three weeks or as long as over two months.

The Red Sox currently have first baseman Bobby Dalbec filling in for Casas, but an outside addition could make a lot of sense. If Boston is interested in a move, one player who has been linked to the club is former San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays slugger Brandon Belt, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

"Age is an outsized factor in free agency. Brandon Belt, even better, still doesn’t have a job," Heyman said. "Belt might make sense for the Red Sox, who’ve lost Triston Casas for a couple of months. Garrett Cooper, just DFA’ed by the (Chicago Cubs), was pursued by Boston in spring."

Belt appeared in 103 games last season with the Blue Jays and clubbed 19 home runs and drove in 43 runs. It's surprising that he still is available but he could make a lot of sense for the Red Sox. He is a 13-year veteran and certainly wouldn't cost a lot.

The veteran showed last season that he can find success in the American League East and he could be the exact type of player who could help fill in for Casas. Why not give him a chance?