Just a month ago, the Red Sox were debating whether they had an overstocked outfield. Now, with the season winding down, the big question around Fenway is whether Wilyer Abreu will be able to get back on the field.
Boston’s outfield depth took a major hit this week. Abreu’s calf injury has proven more troublesome than initially thought, delaying his return. To make matters worse, right fielder Roman Anthony went down on Tuesday with an oblique strain suffered during a strikeout, an injury that’s expected to sideline him for the rest of the 2025 regular season.
The Red Sox’s once-loaded outfield has quickly thinned out. On Friday, manager Alex Cora gave an update on Wilyer Abreu, and the outlook remains concerning. Abreu attempted to run last week but was unable to, and he’ll make another attempt at some point this weekend.
When Will Wilyer Abreu Return for Red Sox?
Before Friday’s game against the Diamondbacks, manager Alex Cora told reporters that Abreu is set to test his calf on Saturday. “He’s supposed to run tomorrow, so we’ll know tomorrow night,” Cora said, noting it would be Abreu’s first attempt at running since the series in Baltimore.
Once Wilyer Abreu is finally able to run without pain, the Red Sox expect his return to follow soon after—though he’ll likely need a few days before being ready to rejoin the lineup. The team does not plan to send him on a minor league rehab assignment.
Still, Abreu’s uneven recovery has raised some concern. “He hasn’t run,” Alex Cora said earlier in the week. “He’s not running … just progressing but slowly. Not the way we envisioned when the injury happened, so we just have to be patient. It’s not a setback—it’s just not improving the way we expected.”
Red Sox Getting Breakout Year From Abreu
If Wilyer Abreu remains sidelined for another week, the Red Sox will be forced to cobble together their outfield in makeshift fashion. Nate Eaton drew the start on Friday, while Rob Refsnyder is expected to see increased playing time.
Getting Abreu back would provide a major boost, especially with Roman Anthony lost for the season. A Gold Glove-caliber defender in right field, Abreu was also enjoying a breakout third year at the plate, hitting a career-best 22 home runs with an .811 OPS before the injury.