The Boston Red Sox are off to a 14-13 start to the season. After a strong 5-2 start, an injury to All-Star Silver Slugger Trevor Story derailed the surging squad. Story is just one of many Red Sox to be sidelined early in the season. As a result, the club has been forced to fill holes in their roster. In the most recent move, the Red Sox have acquired Garrett Cooper from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for cash considerations, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.
Cooper, 33, was designated for assignment on April 23. He has appeared in 12 games for the Cubs in 2024 but could play a bigger role on the Red Sox. The Red Sox will be the fifth organization Cooper joins since he made his MLB debut in 2017.
Cooper Filling in for Triston Casas
The trade for Cooper comes a week after the injury to starting first baseman Triston Casas. Casas suffered a rib injury in the top of the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 20.
“No ribs were fractured,” Casas said, according to MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “It’s not a bone thing. It’s more a cartilage thing. So there’s the ribcage and then there’s the sternum, and there’s pieces of cartilage that are in between those that connect the two. And that was what was torn, was the cartilage.”
Casas was one of the most productive players for the Red Sox before his injury. Casas hit six home runs and had a .867 OPS in 22 games this season. Cooper will fill in for Casas while he recovers. Casas will miss significant time.
“[Doctors] said anywhere from three weeks to six weeks to nine weeks, “ Casas said. “They don’t know. It’s just depending on how my body is feeling. But for right now, I’m still in pain to breathe. My lungs are still hitting my midsection which I’m still getting to like 75 percent capacity without pain.”
The Red Sox have had their eye on Cooper for quite some time as they tried to sign him before the season started.
“The Red Sox had serious interest in Cooper before he signed a minor league deal with Chicago during spring training,” Cotillo wrote.
Cooper’s Fit on the Red Sox
The Red Sox had been relying on 28-year-old Bobby Dalbec at first base since Casas went down. However, the spot now “appears to belong to Cooper, who has appeared in 493 major league games,” wrote Cotillo.
Cooper is slashing .270/.341/.432 in 2024. Cooper slashes .268/.337/.435 in his career with 57 home runs.
“The Red Sox surely view Cooper as an upgrade over Dalbec, who despite playing good defense on the infield corners this season, is just 4-for-43 (.093) with a double so far at the plate,” wrote Cotillo.
Cooper was an All-Star for the Miami Marlins in 2022 when he .261 in 119 games. In 2024 he was not the primary first baseman for the Cubs who have Michael Busch. Cooper will likely play a large role for the Red Sox as there is no clear return date for Trsiton Casas.
Cooper could potentially face his former club as the Cubs will play the Red Sox for game three of their weekend series on April 28.
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