Red Sox
Abreu was placed on the injured list on Monday due to a left oblique strain.
A complicated Red Sox outfield situation could get even more complicated next week.
Right fielder Wilyer Abreu resumed swinging a bat on Friday ahead of Boston’s series against the Yankees, according to manager Alex Cora. Cora said the team had hoped Abreu would be at this point in his recovery from a left oblique strain that landed him on the 10-day injured list on Monday (via The Boston Globe’s Tim Healey).
Given Abreu’s seemingly successful recovery thus far, he could be on track to return to play after a minimum 10 days on the IL, per Cora (via the Boston Herald’s Mac Cerullo). The soonest Abreu can be reactivated would be Friday, June 20, when the Red Sox travel to San Francisco to face the Giants.
Boston has successfully avoided making difficult roster moves to promote two of its top prospects in Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer. Injuries to Alex Bregman and Abreu paved the way for their promotions.
Anthony, baseball’s No. 1 prospect, was called up from Triple-A Worcester as a corresponding move to Abreu’s injured list designation.
Anthony or Mayer, among others (Kristian Campbell, David Hamilton), could be sent down to Triple-A to make room for Abreu and Bregman; Bregman appears to be inching closer to his return from a right quad strain.
However, it appears unlikely that Anthony would be sent down. Several reporters noted Friday that Anthony received a new locker at Fenway, one between Bregman’s and Jarren Duran’s. It wouldn’t make much sense to move his locker between two core players in the clubhouse if the organization intended to demote him to Worcester later this month.
Nevertheless, the team will eventually have to make roster moves to reactivate Abreu and Bregman, moves not driven by injuries. Returning Ceddanne Rafaela to the infield or making him a super utility player could be on the table. The aforementioned option of sending other young players to Triple-A is another avenue.
These surely are not decisions chief baseball officer Craig Breslow wants to make. Considering Mayer is batting .294 with three home runs in June and Campbell is performing better at the plate this month compared to May, optioning budding players to the minors isn’t an easy choice.
However, Boston must get back above a .500 winning percentage and out of fourth place in the American League East (entering Friday). Putting its best team on the field and in the lineup, even if it means shuffling good players around, should be the top priority as the club gets healthier.
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