Aug 13, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) forces Boston Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu (52) out at second base and turns a double play in the six inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu Gets Official Injury Timeline Return

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 13, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The Boston Red Sox's offense has been missing some serious pop. It sounds like that could change as soon as next week.

A lot has been said about the Boston offense with Roman Anthony out. But, he isn't the only guy out of the lineup right now. Wilyer Abreu hasn't played in a game for Boston since August 17th. While this is the case, he's still second on the team in home runs right now with 22 and third in RBIs with 69. That just goes to show how much of an impact the young outfielder has had on the offense this season.

But, he's been out with a calf strain. On Saturday, Red Sox manager Alex Cora shared that the current expectation is that Abreu will return next week. MassLive.com's Christopher Smith shared Cora's quote with more details on the exact return requirements.

The Red Sox are expected to get Wilyer Abreu back next week

"The Red Sox want injured right fielder Wilyer Abreu (right calf strain) at 90 percent before activating him from the 10-day injured list," Smith said. "They’re tracking his recovery with such precision that they know he needs to improve another 4 percent to reach their target. 'We’re shooting at one point next week,' manager Alex Cora said before the Red Sox’ game against the Yankees on Saturday. 'I’m not sure if it’s the Athletics or Tampa. But it seems like he’s feeling a lot better. Yesterday he ran at 86 percent. Like I said, getting to 90 percent is good enough for us. So we’ll just have to wait and see.'

"The Sox will host the Athletics at Fenway Park on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Then they will travel to Tampa to play the Rays on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Abreu is expected back at some point during this six-game stretch."

Much has been said over the last few days about the team's pursuit of its first playoff spot since 2021. Getting Abreu back into the mix arguably is the piece that the team needs right now. Obviously, the Red Sox need Roman Anthony back. But, he's expected to miss the rest of the regular season. Abreu is the guy who can help the team imminently and the Red sox need him. They are four percent away.

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

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