Although Monday night's loss to the Tampa Bay Rays reiterated the same problems for the Boston Red Sox this season, it marked a monumental night for the franchise moving forward. The Fenway Faithful got to see their No.1 prospect, Roman Anthony, take the field alongside Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer, a trio of prospects that will aim to bring more World Series titles to Boston in the coming years.
There were certainly some nerves involved for Anthony in his debut, as the 21-year-old went 0-4, but he did record his first major league RBI. In the right field, Anthony let a fast ground ball get right under his glove and allowed a run to score. There will be some growing pains for the Boston rookies, but having all three playing in the lineup will only do good for the team moving forward.
Anthony's arrival in Boston as another outfielder means that one particular Red Sox lefty could see fewer at-bats moving forward. In fact, the team placed Wilyer Abreu on the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move that brought up Anthony.
Wilyer Abreu on Chopping Block After Anthony Promotion
It wasn't too long ago when Wilyer Abreu was on pace to have the best season of his young career. The 25-year-old came out scorching hot to begin this season, slashing .636/.750/1.364 with 2 home runs across 11 at-bats in March.
Every month that has gone by since has seen Abreu's numbers go down, and a left oblique strain may have been holding the slugger back for the past couple weeks.
Wilyer Abreu OPS by month:
— Red Sox Watcher (@WatcherSox) June 9, 2025
March - 2.114
April - .804
May - .687
June - .268
A very hot start is keeping the narrative at bay, but the trend is very concerning…
Abreu still had a productive month of April, slashing .250/.364/.440 with 4 home runs and 15 RBIs across 84 at-bats. In May, Abreu hit 7 home runs but saw his averages go down to .212/.243/.444. June has been a disaster for Wilyer, who was slashing .143/.125/.143 with 8 strikeouts in 14 at-bats before landing on the injured list.
The Red Sox often platoon Abreu with Rob Refsnyder when facing left-handed pitching, as Abreu is slashing just .185/.290/.259 against southpaws this season. More times than not, Abreu won't see at-bats against lefties unless Alex Cora decides to bring him in off the bench in a crucial situation.
There is no need to platoon Roman Anthony when facing left-handed pitching, knowing the rookie's track record against lefties in Worcester. Across 61 at-bats against lefties, Anthony slashed .361/ .480/.475 with one home run and 8 RBIs. Against righties, Anthony slashed .252/.395/.484 with nine home runs and 22 RBIs.
Abreu's slump before his injury, paired with his inability to hit left-handed pitching, could mean his days are numbered as the trade deadline approaches. It would be hard for the team to make their No.1 prospect an everyday player if the outfield stays as crowded as it is.
With the direction the Red Sox season is going, now nine games back of the AL East lead and 4.5 out of the wild card, moves will certainly be made at the trade deadline. If the Red Sox find themselves within reach of the playoffs in late July, Abreu could be a trade piece to acquire starting pitching or bullpen help. If the team is not within reach and decides to sell, he could also be one of the first players out of Boston to try to acquire future assets.
Abreu could bring home a nice return for Boston on the trade market, knowing he's a Gold Glove winner and a respectable power bat at age 25.
The Red Sox now have six outfielders in Duran, Abreu, Anthony, Refsnyder, Rafaela, and Yoshida, but only three outfield spots to fill. With Abreu and Yoshida currently on the IL, now is the time for Anthony to staple himself in this Red Sox outfield for the rest of the season.