Here’s the latest on Triston Casas, Johan Oviedo injuries

Boston Red Sox

Casas’ rib injury does not appear to be a long-term problem.

Written by Callie Brown

April 4, 2026 | 5:25 pm

2 minutes to read

Red Sox manager Alex Cora provided several injury updates on Saturday, particularly regarding first baseman Triston Casas and right-handed pitcher Johan Oviedo.

Triston Casas rib case

Casas received some much-needed good news after being suspended from baseball activities with a rib injury earlier this week. The 26-year-old will resume hitting from the tee on Monday, Cora told reporters.Via Christopher Smith of MassLive).

Casas’ rib pain arose from swinging the bat in late March. Cora said the problem appeared “a few days before” April 1.

Cora said Casas was suffering from Intercostal strainwhich was initially a worrying finding given the player’s history of rib disease. Casas suffered a torn rib cartilage in April 2024, which kept him off the diamond for most of that season.

Casas has struggled to stay healthy ever since. He started this season on the injured list as he continues to rehabilitate from a serious knee injury he suffered in May 2025.

When and if Casas returns to Boston in 2026, it is unclear where he will fit on the roster. Wilson Contreras, the team’s first baseman, hit his first home run (423 feet and over a Green Monster) of the year in the Red Sox’s 5-2 home run on Friday. Contreras is under contract in Boston until 2027 with a club option for 2028.

Casas is strictly 1B; He played a few games at third base in the minor leagues seven years ago.

Less than ideal news for Johan Oviedo

On the shooting front, Oviedo has been in poor health compared to Casas.

Oviedo will meet with his Tommy John surgeon, Dr. Keith Meister, on Tuesday after experiencing a nagging issue in his arm that landed him on the injured list. The Red Sox classified it as a right elbow strain.

The 28-year-old pitcher underwent Tommy John surgery in December 2023.

Oviedo saw his velocity decline in a relief outing on March 30, where he allowed six hits and four runs, including two home runs, over 3.2 innings of work. His average fastball velocity was 93 mph, a decline from his 2025 average of 95.5.

After the game, Oviedo told reporters that he felt fine and couldn’t explain what happened on the mound.

“I’m as surprised as probably everyone else,” Oviedo said at the time (via Smith). “I mean my body feels good. It’s not like I’m in pain or anything like that. So you just have to keep working to figure out what the problem is.”

However, by Wednesday, Oviedo was unable to bend his arm, resulting in him landing on the Elle.

“When I woke up in the morning, I couldn’t bend or flex my arms when I got out of bed,” Oviedo said.Via Chris Cutillo of MassLive).

Cooter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval are close to rehab outings

Right-handed pitcher Cooter Crawford, who is recovering from multiple injuries in 2025, including wrist surgery, is on track for a minor league rehab outing. Crawford missed all of 2025 after pitching a career-high 183.2 innings in 2024.

Fellow RHP Patrick Sandoval, who likewise has not pitched in the majors since 2024, will begin his rehab assignment on Sunday. Sandoval, 29, who Boston signed in free agency in 2024, will start with Double-A Portland.