Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu has been out of action this spring due to a gastrointestinal virus that, as of last week, had kept the 25-year-old from even swinging a bat this spring. That led to plenty of questions about whether or not he would be ready in time for Opening Day, but as noted by Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic yesterday, he was cleared to play in today’s Grapefruit League game.
It was a major step forward for Abreu, who told reporters (including Christopher Smith of MassLive) that he expects to be ready for Opening Day later this month after acknowledging that he’ll need “some more reps” before he’s in regular season form. Notably, Abreu lost considerable weight as a result of the virus but has said that he doesn’t view that weight loss as a concern as he still feels as strong and mobile as ever. If Abreu does prove to be ready for Opening Day, that would be a major relief for a Red Sox lineup that appears poised to rely on a platoon of him and Rob Refsnyder in right field this season. The sixth place finisher in AL Rookie of the Year voting last year, Abreu won a Gold Glove for his work in right field while hitting .253/.322/.459 (114 wRC+), including a 126 wRC+ against right-handed pitching.
Abreu was joined in his return to the lineup by star teammate Rafael Devers. Devers has gotten plenty of attention this spring after the club’s signing of third baseman Alex Bregman, as the Red Sox have thusfar refused to anoint either Devers or Bregman as the Opening Day third baseman in the aftermath of Devers’s vocal opposition to a move off the hot corner. The slugger has struck a more conciliatory tone in recent days, however, as Bregman has been used almost exclusively at third this spring while Devers was slowed in camp after rehabbing a shoulder injury throughout the offseason. Devers was back in the lineup alongside Abreu today, however, and manager Alex Cora told reporters (including Smith) that the duo will get time on the backfields tomorrow before returning to the lineup on Monday as they ease back into regular playing time.
With Devers and Abreu both seemingly making good pace to start for the Red Sox on Opening Day, much of the intrigue in the final weeks of Red Sox camp seems likely to be focused on the rotation. Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, and Tanner Houck will feature in the club’s starting five, but the last two spots are up for grabs after Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello, and Kutter Crawford were all delayed in camp by various injuries. 40-man roster arms Cooper Criswell, Richard Fitts, and Quinn Priester have long been known to be in the conversation for those spots, but Cora told reporters (including Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe) today that non-roster southpaw Sean Newcomb is also in the mix for a rotation job.
Newcomb, 31, was a first-round pick by the Angels back in 2014 and had success in both the rotation and bullpen with Atlanta during the early years of his career. He posted a 3.87 ERA and 4.17 FIP in 332 1/3 innings of work across the 2017 to 2019 seasons, but the wheels came off during the shortened 2020 season and he’s struggled every since. Over the past five seasons, he’s posted a 6.66 ERA with a 5.49 FIP in 98 2/3 innings, the majority of which came out of the bullpen. The southpaw has been nothing short of dominant for the Red Sox this spring, however, and his 0.93 ERA in 9 2/3 frames has seemingly given Boston’s decision-makers enough to think about that he has a chance at starting the season not just on the roster, but in the rotation.
Good news. Great to see these guys on the field.
Aaaand they get to face Sale in their first game. Kinda brutal there.
The Bregman and Devers things has been going on here for months this offseason. Where is Bregman going to sign? If he goes to the Red Sox what happens to Devers?
So Bregman signs with the Red Sox and there are still 4 tiring articles a week on here because Red Sox fans are in a large market, opinionated, and continue click and post the same tiring points over and over as they agree and disagree with others.
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There are a lot of stories on MLB out there. Analysis that can be done that doesn’t depend on questionable stories, discussion of how much a player is being paid, or selected statistics to make a point one way or the other.
But you can also put at least part of the accountability on the shoulders of the Sox leadership. As soon as their pursuit of Bregman got serious, they should have had a plan as to how they were going to handle the fallout. They could easily put this story to bed by flat out stating that Bregman is playing third because he is a clearly superior defender and let Devers cry all he wants. In the end, that is what needs to happen. But until it does, they have nobody to blame but themselves for these continuing stories.
We have a clear problem. Yoshida. There’s nowhere for the guy to go if Devers is the DH
LF. If they could hide Manny there for more than 7.5 years, they can hide Yoshida there for one
It would be great to see Newcomb finally put everything back together
I did not expect to hear his name in this context this spring. A pretty great story if he gets a shot.
I’d be shocked if it happened, but it would be a great story.
as i’ve said a million times, all you have to do is throw left handed.
WHIP
Newcomb is in the mix for a rotation job? Been hearing that for like a decade. If he’s in the rotation, it’s not good news.
In the mix to open the season in the rotation to replace two short term missing guys. Not quite the same as being in competition for the baseline rotation.
I’m expecting Devers to be on the trade block this summer. My guess would be either the Cubs or Mariners but I could see him in a Mets uniform too.
I don’t see the Cubs or Mariners taking on that contract. The irony is that the Yankees might be the best fit. Devers would solve their hole at 1B long-term and his LH bat would play up at the Stadium.
@DonOsbourne
The Red Sox aren’t trading him to the Yankees. Maybe the Blue Jays?
I agree a Yankees/Red Sox trade is very unlikely.
If I were the Blue Jays, I would rather have the Devers contract than meet Vladi’s asking price. So yes, I could see that working. The Jays don’t have a lot to offer Boston. It would mostly be a salary/attitude dump.
If they did, the asking price is too much for them to pay. They have like 1, maybe 2 (and it’s a big maybe) 2 guys in their farm system to start the talks and no money to give. It’s a moot point to bring them up. I’d think the Orioles might be the better fit within the division, but outside would be better option.
Nuke getting yet another chance.
Just imho, but they should be looking at Fulmer for the 5-hole. He’s been a quasi-successful pitcher in the past, even if it’s been a long time since he started consistently. I would expect much, but 5 innings of maybe 4.25 ERA level of work is all he needs to do.
Fulmer’s fine out of the pen. They traded Nick Yorke for Priester, let’s see what he can do. Fitts has looked pretty good too
Bregman comes to the Sox and turmoil follows, who could have predicted that.
Cora is tied to Bregman and the cheating scandal. Bregman was his partner in crime, they have a history together,
Poor Devers, a Red Sox through and through, being kicked to the curb by the same Astro crime family that cheated his team.
Imagine being robbed of your rightful possession and then losing your job to the guy who robbed you.
I get every team wants to win, but to sell your soul to do it…dear lord Boston fans are in my thoughts and prayers.
As a Braves fan, who works in Boston and also loves the Sox, I hope Newcomb can bounce back. I always liked him in ATL. When he was good, he was really good. Very inconsistent though. He’s a New England guy, so hopefully something will click for him.
“every since?”
Sox have some tough decisions to make regarding the bullpen. We know Hendriks/Chapman/Fulmer/Whitlock are basically locks leaving a crowded field for the other 4 spots. Weissert and Bernardino have pitched really well and should get spots leaving two other spots up for grabs. Josh Winckowski and Justin Wilson have been terrible. Slaten and Guerrero haven’t pitched well either. Ottavino got lit up in his debut. I would probably take Kelly and Newcomb to round out the season opening bullpen
So w Abreu being ready for opening day vs Eovaldi, whats the OF?
Duran, Rafaela and Abreu?