Perhaps no Boston Red Sox player this offseason got a bigger endorsement than rookie outfielder Wilyer Abreu.
And it didn’t come from one of his teammates or manager Alex Cora. Instead, Red Sox chairman Tom Werner doled out some high praise for the left-handed hitter.
Werner told reporters last month that Abreu “will see success if he has 400 at-bats” this season. It was a surprising remark given Abreu’s relative anonymity — he finished last season ranked as Boston’s No. 18 prospect by MLB Pipeline — as he battles for a roster spot this spring.
But Werner’s comment definitely uplifted Abreu as the Red Sox see the potential in the 24-year-old.
“Of course it makes you feel good,” Abreu told MassLive’s Christopher Smith through a translator. “Somebody of that stature naming you is always good and also it gives you kind of an understanding that the team is going to trust in me. So that’s something that was really exciting.”
The Red Sox acquired Abreu from the Houston Astros in the deal for Christian Vázquez at the 2022 trade deadline. Abreu impressed as a late-season call up with the Red Sox last year.
Abreu won’t just be given a starting outfield job this spring with the Red Sox having a logjam at the three positions. Masataka Yoshida becoming the team’s designated hitter opens up a spot, but it seems likely that Abreu’s playing time will come more in right field than left field.
Tyler O’Neill will battle with Abreu for playing time in right field, but it’s clear Abreu has Werner on his side as he competes for a major role this season.
