Bertrand: When is Triston Casas Going to Play Baseball Again?

On Monday's edition of Zolak and Bertrand, the guys reacted to the news of Triston Casas traveling down to Texas for the MLB All Star Game as media member for MLB's social media accounts. This prompted Beetle to raise the question, when will Casas actually return to the field to play games?

Bertrand: Well, here's what he's doing at the All-Star game. Pete Abraham of the globe had the report yesterday. He'll be there to provide coverage. He's expected to co-host on the Home Run Derby broadcast on ESPN, which happens tonight. He'll be on Major League Baseball's TikTok channels. Along appearing on MLB Network's media day show that is happening today. This afternoon, I guess.

Zolak: Yeah.

Bertrand: So he's TikTok-ing and he's on MLB network and he's on ESPN tonight. He's all over the place. Fine. When are you going to play a baseball game again? That's all I would like to know. In all this reporting he's going to be doing can you just give us a firm timeline on when he's going to play baseball for the Red Sox again? That's all I'm asking for. People are up in arms about him going to do this without playing right now and during a rehab and all of that. I'm not bothered by it. Are you bothered by it?

Zolak: I would have been bothered by it, but I'm not going to be like the old man sitting on the porch yelling at this, because this is what it is today.

Bertrand: Tell you what it is. It's fully in line with who he is.

Zolak: Totally.

Bertrand: Which is, as I've said, this guy's all about him. He's that kind of player, and that doesn't mean he can't be great or won't be great, but he's not the most team oriented-winning type of player. He's about himself. He's about the brand.

Zolak: He's different.

Bertrand: There are a lot of modern athletes and young athletes that are in that mold. He's one of them, but that's why he's at the all star game on TikTok, ESPN, and MLB Network, because he's trying to expand the Triston Casas brand.

Zolak: Yeah.

Bertrand: Whereas I would tell him, "Hey dude, you know how to expand your brand, be available every day and be a great player on a team that's got the arrow pointing up".

Tom Morgan: They kind of need you.

Bertrand: Become a better brand through your play, is what I would say.

Zolak: This is him.

Bertrand: He's doing all the stuff that baseball wishes that Mike trout did over the years. But, Mike Trout was instead just the guy who showed up and went to work every day, and didn't really engage and didn't do a great job at doing all the other things. So again, I'm not I'm not knocking a player for doing these things. I just wish that it were more productive, more reliable, more consistent players doing these things. But the problem is those guys are actually going to Dallas to play in the game. I wish he would strive more to be playing in the game, as opposed to be there as a reporter. That's all. When are you coming back and playing baseball? Tristan, can you just tell us that? When are you going to play a game?

It’s time for the latest Mazz’s Tiers! With the MLB trade deadline so close and with the Boston Red Sox apparently still undecided on what they will be doing at the trade deadline, Mazz decided it was time to rank some of the recent deadline acquisitions in the 2000's that the Red Sox have had! 

But before the tiers, here’s a look at some names that could appear on the list....

Jon Lester was a two-time World Series Champion with the Boston  Red Sox. Lester was a member of the Red Sox from 2006-2014 and won World Championships in 2007 and 2013. He was traded to the Oakland Athletics in July of 2014. Lester would then move on to the Chicago Cubs where he would win his third World Series ring in 2016. 

Prior to the 2018 MLB trade deadline the Red Sox acquired Nathan Eovaldi from the Tampa Bay Rays. Eovaldi would help the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series and then go on to spend another four seasons as a member of the club. He would leave the Red Sox in free agency to join the Texas Rangers and win a World Series in 2023. 

In 2008 the Boston Red Sox traded Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three team trade. The big piece that came in return to the Red Sox in the trade was outfielder Jason Bay. Bay would spend the remainder of 2008 and the entirety of the 2009 season with Boston. 

The Red Sox acquired Eric Gagne to be the setup man for closer Jonathan Papelbon in 2007. However, the addition of Gagne turned out to be an underwhelming one, as he would post a 6.75 ERA to close out the 2007 season. He wasn’t much better in the playoffs, pitching just 4.1 innings while giving up 3 earned runs in four appearances.

2004 - Doug Mientkiewicz and Orlando Cabrera acquired in a four team trade that sent Nomar Garciaparra to the Chicago Cubs

2004 - Dave Roberts acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers for a minor leaguer 

2018 - Steve Pearce acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays for Santiago Espinal

2018 - Nathan Eovaldi acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays for Jalen Beeks

2021 - Kyle Schwarber acquired from the Washington Nationals for a minor leaguer 

2009 - Victor Martinez acquired from the Detroit Tigers for Justin Masterson 

2013 - Jake Peavy acquired in a three team trade. Jose Iglesias was traded to the Detroit Tigers in the deal

2008 - Manny Ramirez traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three team trade. Jason Bay was acquired by the Red Sox from the Pittsburgh Pirates

2007 - Eric Gagne acquired from Texas Rangers for Kason Gabbard 

2014 - Jon Lester traded to Oakland Athletics for Yoenis Cespedes 

2014 - John Lackey traded to St. Louis Cardinals for Allen Craig and Joe Kelly