First base turned out to be one of the most unexpectedly eventful positions for the Boston Red Sox this season.
Fans will long remember Triston Casas suffering a torn patellar tendon, Rafael Devers outright refusing to take on the role, and Nathaniel Lowe joining the team on a league-minimum deal after being released by the Washington Nationals.
However, the player with by far the most appearances at first base of anyone on the roster this season was Abraham Toro, whose surprisingly impactful Red Sox tenure may very well have come to an end on Friday.
According to the transactions log on his MLB.com player page, Toro elected free agency on Friday. He wrapped up the season with the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox after being designated for assignment by Boston on August 21.
The 28-year-old was called up from Worcester the day after Triston Casas went down. In 77 games, he hit .239/.289/.371 with seven home runs and 27 RBIs, posting a modest OPS+ of 83.
Those stats don’t quite capture the full picture. During a stretch when the Red Sox offense was struggling—particularly in May and early June while third baseman Alex Bregman was sidelined with a quad strain—Toro stepped in and made an immediate impact. Over his first 27 games, he caught fire at the plate, batting .330 with five home runs.
In the end, the Red Sox needed nearly every one of their 89 wins to secure a postseason berth. So while Toro cooled off significantly from mid-June onward and was understandably let go not long after Nathaniel Lowe joined the roster, his early contributions may have helped secure a few crucial victories that kept the team in the playoff hunt.
Now a seven-year MLB veteran, Toro has previously suited up for the Astros, Brewers, Mariners, and Athletics. He’s played 171 big-league games since the start of last season, and that experience alone should be enough to land him at least a minor-league deal for 2026.
It’s possible that offer could come from the Red Sox again, but now that he’s officially parted ways with the organization, we likely won’t know for sure for several months.
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