The Boston Red Sox received some challenging injury updates this week. The headline was the likely season-ending setback for Triston Casas, who is dealing with a left patellar tendon rupture. He’s not the only player sidelined, though.

Walker Buehler also landed on the Injured List due to inflammation in his right shoulder. However, the team has suggested that his absence might be brief, as they are not overly concerned about his condition at the moment. Despite this optimism, there’s already been quite a bit of speculation regarding his potential replacement.

Andrew Wright from Newsweek proposed Los Angeles Angels pitcher Yusei Kikuchi as a candidate. “Yusei Kikuchi from the Los Angeles Angels,” noted Wright. “Interestingly, Kikuchi’s name hasn’t come up often in discussions about early-season trade targets. This might be due to his annual salary exceeding $20 million or simply because he’s been overlooked on a struggling Angels roster.

Nonetheless, Boston should definitely consider reaching out for the left-hander who, though winless with an 0-4 record this season, maintains a respectable 4.21 ERA across seven starts. He faced challenges against weak offenses like the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins, but these might just be early-season issues he’s working through.”

Kikuchi inked a three-year, $63.675 million contract with the Angels and is only seven starts into his tenure there. Expecting any trade at this juncture seems premature. Boston appears more inclined to address their first base needs than to pursue such an unconventional option.