The Red Sox announced that outfielder Wilyer Abreu has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list. Catcher Ali Sanchez was designated for assignment in the corresponding roster move.
Abreu returns after missing a little over a month due to calf tightness. As of two weeks ago, Sox manager Alex Cora didn’t have a set timeline for Abreu’s return, so it’s good news that Abreu has been able to make it back with a week to spare in the regular season, let alone before the playoffs begin. Abreu is in the lineup as the designated hitter tonight, which could be a sign that his calf isn’t quite 100 percent, or the Red Sox might simply just be easing him back into action.
Assuming his calf is generally okay, Abreu should step right back into his normal strong-side platoon role as Boston’s everyday right fielder against right-handed pitching. One of the sport’s best defensive outfielders, Abreu won the right field Gold Glove in 2024 and he is a strong candidate for a repeat, with +15 Defensive Runs Saved and +8 Outs Above Average to his ledger in 2025. Between his superb glovework and solid bat (.253/.325/.486 with 22 homers in 395 plate appearances), Abreu has quickly become a major all-around piece of the Red Sox roster.
Sanchez’s 2025 began on a minor league contract with the Blue Jays, and he was claimed off waivers by the Red Sox in early August. The Sox DFA’ed him 10 days after that claim, and after rejecting an outright assignment, Sanchez landed with the Mets on another minors deal. He then found himself on the way back to Boston in a trade on September 1, as the Red Sox wanted some additional depth behind the Carlos Narvaez/Connor Wong catching combo. Over 12 big league games in 2025, Sanchez has a .522 OPS over 23 plate appearances (all but two of them with Toronto).
Sanchez has a career slash line of .183/.220/.283 over 133 career PA in parts of four different MLB seasons, as his bat hasn’t been productive enough to hold down a regular role even if his well-regarded glove keeps getting him looks. Sanchez is out of minor league options, which is part of the reason why he has been such a regular on the waiver wire. Because he has been previously outrighted, Sanchez has the ability to elect free agency if he clears waivers and is assigned to Triple-A, though he is probably more likely to just accept the assignment and stay in the organization as depth.
Desperately need him in the lineup. Hope he’s ready to go and doesn’t take long to get ramped back up.
Worried how long that ramp up is without a rehab assignment. Regardless of ramp up, he’s a huge upgrade over Adam Eaton!
We miss the long ball. Need some more home runs in this lineup. Abrue gives us some of that for sure.
This year’s Red Sox team reminds me of the 1991-92 versions. Teams with little-to-no power.
It had power, but a lot of it has been hurt….long IL stints.
Nate Eaton is hitting .381 with a .935 OPS; 10 R and 5 SB since September 1st. I’d say he has done his job…
NATE Eaton has been one of the Red Sox best hitters over the last two weeks. Eaton should play, and Rafaela can do some sitting.
Abreu 4 strikeouts on Sunday was not an upgrade.
Abreu needs to be extended or this front office is making a HUGE mistake! The last right fielder i seen play it this good was Mookie, hopefully we can get him locked down like the rest of the guys.
Abreu is under team control until after the 2029 season. That is 4 full season in oder to extend him. He will be age 30 at that time. IMO, the extension would run through age 32 only. If the Red Sox can sign him to a reasonable price fine. If not, the Red Sox have Abreu for 1 year MLB minimum+, and three arb seasons.
@4WSsince04
His talent could make those arbitration prices ridiculous, id prefer to get him extended before he has a mookie like year.
Imho, he has the ability to be a 30/30 guy, even if his avg will never be elite, one year like that would make his price soar.
Anthony, Rafaela, Duran, and Abreu are all starting outfielders. It is likely one will be traded this offseason. It will not be Anthony, and Rafaela is likely their CF (would be my choice to trade). The likelihood of Abreu or Duran traded as part of acquisition for a pitcher is fairly high. Many podcast blame management for not trading one last offseason to make room for Anthony earlier in the season. Whichever of Abreu or Duran that is not traded is likely to be extended. It is easier to make the trade without an extended contract (example 1 Rafaela).
@4WSsince04
It will most likely be Duran. My choice is to keep Rafaela, not because his bat is all that, but because his defense is ELITE with a capital E.
Most of the year, his defense was 2nd only to Pete Crow Amstrong.
Polyglot – I would be fine with Duran being traded as he would bring a higher return, and he is older and relies on speed for his upside in performance.
Rafaela is elite on defense and has a reasonable contract. Abreu, Rafaela, and Anthony make up probably the best defensive outfield in the MLB.
Wilyer’s power has been missed. Welcome addition back to the lineup
Only concern is he won’t get his swing back in time to make a difference. I hope I am wrong because they need someone to step up on offense.
I wish they designated Murphy after that pitiful performance the other night.
I’d hate to see your LinkedIn page.
This should help. With the Guards steaming along, this thing is coming down to the wire. No backing into the playoffs for anyone this year with 4-5 solid teams in the mix. Losing Roman was such a blow, hopefully this mitigates things a bit.
Wilyer is a great asset on both sides of the ball so the gains are significant for the Sox as RF in Fenway really needs a great fielder out there.
Where’s that lighter? I need to take care of that crumpled thing by the front door.
Ugh. Four straight strike outs.
Ahh, the Golden Sombrero
Wilyer look at that
The NESN guys mentioned it during the game last night. …the horrendous batting average while the bases are loaded. 6 for the last 45 or ,I’m not positive what they said but its bad. We let Boyle off the hook.
Abreu did not look ready.
Cdc – Abreu didn’t have a rehab assignment.
FPG
Yeah, no time for that. The offense , despite there lack of success with the bases loaded,seems to be going in the right direction. Tough to be disappointed taking 2 of 3 from Tampa on the road. Though it sounded like 75% Sox fans in there. 3 against Toronto and 3 against Detroit. What do you think???? Our big 3 , Giolito,Bello ,and then Crochet in Toronto… 2 out of 3 ????
Fingers crossed !!
GRW
Toronto still playing for the division, but with our 3 best ,even on the road, going to have to take the series. Giolito , Crochet,Bello. Vegas has the Blue Jays as favorite in the 2 games not started by Crochet. The offense seems to have ticked up .. The vets in the lineup have got to come through.
cdc – If you remember, I expected the Sox to lose 2 of 3 in Toronto. Unfortunately I’m sticking with that. They will pound Scherzer, but I think Gausman and Bieber will prevail. Hopefully I’m wrong!
@feverpitchguy
Thankfully, you are wrong in that we did beat Gausman, but you were right we would pound Max.
Winning this series was HUGE! Now, if we can sweep, our magic number goes down to 1. What a ride this season has been, but the Sox are back and this looks an awful lot like 2013 team nobody expected to do much.
Poly – It’s already a Magic Number of 1 because the Sox own the tiebreaker with Houston …. which means they are 4 games up with 4 games to go ;O)
@feverpitchguy
Oakland has been beating the Stros two in a row also, the As are going to be the next big thing in 2026. For now tho, they can play the spoiler role and kick Houston out of the playoffs with a win tonight.
Heard the Jays are pushing back Beiber’s start to Friday, so Sox have even more good news going into tonight.
Imagine this Red Sox team with Chris Sale, and Quinn Priester! One CB is about as bad as another!
You know, Sale has missed almost the entire year, because of injuries, you dub?
Harrison, not Hamilton (damn autocorrect).
And I would be remiss to not mention the stellar year Chapman has had.
Pop – How come you don’t think Whitlock and Wilson have been good? I’d take those two guys over almost anyone.
SMH…. why have Whitlock warming up for the 8th only to leave Kelly in for more than an inning…. and then bring in Tolle in the middle of inning with runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs…. when he has never done that at the Major League level?
Just another example of the stupidity of Cora’s use of the bullpen.
You don’t bring in your eighth inning guy when you’re losing.
You have to save him for when you’re ahead.
If the Red Sox scored a couple runs, Whitlock would be ready to hold that lead.
It’s so easy to come here and bash, Alex Cora, butI don’t think it’s Cora who doesn’t know what they’re talking about here.
BS.. At this point in the season you use Whitlock to keep the game within 1 run to have a chance in the 9th… especially since the next day is an off day…. TRY AGAIN
If you do what you are saying…. then you bring in Tolle with a fresh inning and not with two inherited runners with no outs.
In this case it is the blind Cora excuse makers once again not getting it.
Well, then Cooper, you don’t understand baseball and specifically bullpens.
You can’t keep throwing guys out there, especially one of your best relievers while you’re BEHIND IN THE SCORE.
That would be an utter waste of an appearance at a time of year where you treat these such calls to the bullpen like gold.
Look at right now. I’m sure Cora told Whitlock he needs to go two tonight vs Toronto but I’m just guessing.
The seventh was a quick inning nine pitches.
May not be able to ask Garrett to go two innings tonight with this VALUABLE lead if they had pitched him while they were losing Sunday?
OK, bad guess by me.., but Garrett is available tomorrow night. Nice move with a three run lead. Let’s try the less accomplished Slaton right here.
OK fool…. I played 3 years of College Baseball. including 2 years of being a graduate assistant for a Cy Young winning MLB pitcher who was the HC. Also, currently good friends with my neighbor who was a Major League Manager for 3 teams and 13 years who knows Cora and we discuss the games daily and actually discussed this situation yesterday. He agreed with my thought process on this and consistently shakes his head about Cora’s bullpen usage. But keep telling me how smart you are….. smh
Fool? Who are you? Wow.
Thanks for the conversation. I’m out.
Yeah, you are Out….
I am not the one who said “you don’t understand baseball and specifically bullpens”.
I didn’t go the “fool” route until you started the “I know more than garbage..
There’s a slight difference between saying, “you don’t know what you’re talking about” and calling someone a fool. But that’s just me. Good luck.
As for tolle, it’s the same deal.
Preferably don’t want to use the rookie, but you have to take a chance on him sometime.
He has a great fast ball. Let’s see if it works.
You’re already in a tough spot, you’ve used Kelly as long as you could, You’re down a run and two guys are on base.
It’s not looking favorable so you throw the young guy out there to see what he can do.
The games probably lost at this point anyway. Maybe he can hold down the fort give the Sox a chance in the bottom of the eighth?