In an early part of the season that has consisted of its ups and downs for the Boston Red Sox, some players have been cold as ice while others continue to amaze on a day-to-day basis.
Offseason acquisitions Garrett Crochet and Alex Bregman have been two bright spots for the team and rookie sensation Kristian Campbell has shown that he can hit in the majors after a Spring Training slump.
While all three have made big contributions, this Red Sox Gold Glove outfielder may have put rumored trade talks to rest with his own spectacular start to the season.
Wilyer Abreu Off to Sensational Start in 2025
The 25-year-old outfielder has picked up the Red Sox offense when it has struggled to begin the year. Abreu's Opening Day performance consisted of a two home run and four RBI effort, and he hasn't looked back since.
Through 54 at-bats, Abreu has recorded 18 hits, 3 home runs, and 12 RBIs while slashing .333/.455/.574. He leads the Red Sox in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage and holds the 13th-best OPS in the MLB (1.029).
While not being an everyday player in the lineup, Abreu is tied for the team lead in home runs, RBIs, and walks in nearly 15 fewer at-bats than the Red Sox heavy hitters (Bregman, Devers, Duran, and Story).
Never a top prospect or the featured guy in a lineup, all Wilyer Abreu has done is produce. People are starting to know the name.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) April 14, 2025
“I’m just focused on doing the best possible job that I can. If it means I’m flying under the radar, I don’t really mind. I just want to show up & do…
While Abreu's play has amazed Red Sox fans this season, the little assets it took to acquire him might be even more amazing.
Back in 2022, under chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, the Red Sox traded catcher Christian Vazquez to the Houston Astros in exchange for Abreu and Enmanuel Valdez at the trade deadline.
Looking back at it, the trade was a huge success for Boston. Vazquez spent the rest of the season with Houston and won the World Series, then signed with the Twins in the offseason. This season, Vazquez has struggled, slashing .115/.172/.192 in Minnesota at age 34.
Enmanuel Valdez didn't work out in Boston and is now a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the one-for-one deal of Vazquez for Abreu has certainly looked like a winner for the Red Sox over the past two seasons.
Looking at how crowded the Red Sox outfield is with Roman Anthony still in Worcester, Abreu has looked the best of the bunch through mid-April. He has produced when called upon and should be seeing more and more at-bats near the 4 or 5 spot in the Red Sox order.
Before the season, it was rumored that Abreu could be traded for a starting pitcher. His play up to this point should be proof that it would've been a mistake, and also should excite Red Sox fans to know that they potentially have another great outfielder on their hands.
The Red Sox outfield could look different as the season goes on, with the team already experimenting and putting Kristian Campbell in center field. With that said, Alex Cora should know to ride the hot hand of Abreu until proven otherwise.
As the Red Sox offense has been absent for about a week, Abreu still continues to produce. The same cannot be said for other outfielders such as Jarren Duran or Ceddanne Rafaela, as the team will be looking for their bats to get going soon.
Abreu will look to continue his scorching hot start on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays.