Just a month ago, the talk around Boston was whether the Red Sox had an overcrowded outfield. Fast forward to the final stretch of the season, and fans at Fenway Park are now left asking a much simpler question: can Wilyer Abreu even run?
The outfield took a tough hit this week. Abreu’s calf injury has proven far more stubborn than first believed, pushing back his return timeline. To make matters worse, promising right fielder Roman Anthony strained his oblique on a swing Tuesday, an injury that could sideline him for the rest of the 2025 regular season.
Suddenly, Boston’s once-deep outfield looks paper-thin. Manager Alex Cora gave an update Friday, noting Abreu tried running last week but couldn’t make it through. He’ll attempt to test it again this weekend, but the outlook remains uncertain.
When Will Wilyer Abreu Return for Red Sox?
Before Friday’s matchup with the Diamondbacks, Alex Cora told MassLive that Abreu is scheduled to run on Saturday — his first attempt since the series in Baltimore. “He’s supposed to run tomorrow so we’ll know tomorrow night,” Cora said.
If Abreu can run without pain, his return is expected to follow fairly quickly. Still, he’ll likely need a few extra days to get game-ready, though the team does not anticipate sending him on a minor-league rehab assignment.
Even so, his slow recovery remains troubling. Earlier this week, Cora admitted the process has not gone as smoothly as hoped. “He hasn’t run … just progressing but slowly,” he explained. “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 getting better the way we thought.”
Red Sox Getting Breakout Year From Abreu
If Abreu ends up sidelined for another week, Boston will be forced to patch together its outfield with a makeshift mix. Nate Eaton drew the start on Friday, while Rob Refsnyder is expected to see more regular action.
The return of Abreu, however, would provide a major boost. Not only does he bring Gold Glove-caliber defense in right field, but he was also enjoying a breakout third season before the injury, already setting career highs with 22 home runs and an .811 OPS.
