May 10, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Boston Red Sox's cap and glove on the field before a game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

Red Sox's Update On Outfielder's Recovery Is Much-Needed Good News

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Remember when having too many outfielders was seen as some sort of problem for the Boston Red Sox?

Thank goodness Boston didn't trade Jarren Duran at the Jul. 31 deadline, because with Wilyer Abreu and Roman Anthony on the injured list, Boston is now forced to play Nate Eaton, Rob Refsnyder, or Masataka Yoshida in the outfield based on current 26-man roster dynamics.

Maybe things will change -- Kristian Campbell could be recalled from Triple-A, for example. But that's a somewhat untenable situation... at least until Abreu (hopefully) comes back healthy.

Red Sox expect Abreu back with time to spare

Abreu last played on Aug. 17, when he strained his calf tagging up from third base on a fly ball. He was initially supposed to miss the minimum of 10 days, but it's now been 2 1/2 weeks, and he hasn't even been able to run yet.

However, on Friday, Sean McAdam of MassLive reported some good news: Abreu is expected to return "well before" the end of the regular season, which is 3 1/2 weeks away.

"The good news for the Sox is that Abreu is expected to return well before the end of the season, though it’s worth noting that he’s already missed the team’s initial projection for return," wrote McAdam. "As of earlier this week, Abreu hadn’t yet been cleared to run, which means it’s hard to envision him returning to the lineup on the team’s six-game road trip which begins Friday in Phoenix."

In a perfect scenario, Abreu would be in right field batting in the middle of the order when the New York Yankees, who led the Red Sox by half a game for the top wild card spot entering play on Friday, come to Boston next weekend for the last series of the rivalry this year.

Abreu, 26, has an impressive .811 OPS this season, and his 22 home runs and 69 RBIs both led the Red Sox at the time he went on the injured list. He has since been eclipsed by shortstop Trevor Story in both categories.

With Anthony likely out until the middle of October, Abreu needs to be a key cog in the Boston lineup as soon as possible.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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