Jul 30, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu (53) celebrates the win over the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu Admits Frustration With Slow Injury Recovery

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Sep 12, 2025 6:00 PM ET

Roman Anthony's injury absence has gotten a lot of the attention for the Boston Red Sox, and deservedly so, but the other right fielder on the roster is excellent too, and he's been injured a lot longer.

Wilyer Abreu last played on Aug. 17, when he homered against the Miami Marlins and strained his calf running the bases later in the game. The initial hope was that the Gold Glover would be back shortly after the 10-day minimum stay on the injured list, but the recovery has proven slower than expected.

Abreu still is not expected to need a rehab stint whenever he does return, but he hasn't been able to run at full speed yet. Manager Alex Cora said he's running at 85%, and when he reaches 90% or so, he'll be back, per Matt Vautour of MassLive.

Abreu hopes to be back for next week's Athletics series

On Friday, Abreu admitted his frustration with the slowness of his recovery process, but said he's hopeful he'll be able to return for next week's series against the Athletics at Fenway Park, which begins on Tuesday.

“I don’t know. Soon. Waiting for the trainers to let me play,” Abreu said, per Vautour. “Maybe next week. I don’t know.”

Abreu's frustration, he said, is as much about being unable to help the Red Sox in these crucial stretch-run games, including this weekend's series against the New York Yankees, which has massivewild card implications.

“It took a lot longer. I thought it wasn’t a big deal," he said, per Vautour. "But I’m focused on being healthy and 100 percent next week and the rest of the season,” he said. “It’s very tough to not play and help the team. Waiting to be healthy and 100 percent so I can play the last couple of games and potentially the playoffs.”

Boston has a four-game cushion over the Texas Rangers entering Friday in terms of clinching a playoff berth. They also lead the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros by two games each. They're half a game back of New York and 3 1/2 back of the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East.

Abreu, who was the team leader in home runs (22) at the time of his injury, should be a massive addition on both sides of the ball for Boston.

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

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