Wilyer Abreu, planning to return to Red Sox Friday, says he'll play anywhere
WORCESTER -- Wilyer Abreu is coming back to a very different Red Sox team even though he's only been gone for a week.
Less than an hour before Rafael Devers was introduced in San Francisco, Abreu spoke to reporters in the WooSox clubhouse ahead of his first rehab start in Worcester as he works back from an oblique strain that landed him on the injured list on June 9.
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Abreu said that while the situation is tough, the team is in a good spot, and he's game to play wherever the team needs him.
'The DH thing depends on how [Red Sox manager] Alex [Cora] wants to handle it,' Abreu said. 'I'm going to do my part, and wherever they need me, on third, DH, outfield, whatever, I'll be up for anything.'
That sentiment, or lack there of, has been a point of contention all season long with Devers, and was clearly one of the reasons leading to Sunday night's trade. Ironically, Devers shared a similar sentiment during his introductory press conference in San Francisco, saying 'they're the men in charge. I'm here to play wherever they want me to play.'
Abreu will return to a crowded outfield with Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Rob Refsnyder also all vying for playing time. But Abreu's bat will loom quite a bit bigger without Devers' bat; Abreu is now the team leader in home runs with 13, two less than Devers had with the team this year.
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'It's hard, of course Devers is big piece for this team, he's a great hitter, the best hitter on the team, I think,' Abreu said. 'It's going to be hard, but everyone is pushing the same way, and the young talent is going to help a lot.'
The 25-year-old outfielder will only need a couple of games in Worcester before he's ready to get back in the Boston lineup, and his plan is to be back with the team for Friday's series against Devers and the Giants.
'I'm feeling very good, 100 percent,' Abreu said. 'I don't feel anything, the tightness went away already.'
Even though Abreu was pain-free after just a few days, he and the Red Sox felt it was best to take the full 10 days and make it an IL stint. Abreu hit a skid at the plate prior to his trip to the injured list, going 2-for-14 in seven games this month.
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'I knew it was going to be good for me to reset my mind, reset everything and take a rest for a little bit,' Abreu said. 'After 3-4 days, I knew I was ready, but it was better to take the [full] 10 [days]...I'll be ready to go and be playing Friday, I hope.'
WooSox 5, Bisons 4
Richard Fitts looked back to his early season form with five shutout innings in his third start with Worcester. Fitts allowed just two hits, including a double to lead off the game, and struck out three without walking any. He racked up nine whiffs, spreading those across five different pitches.
Abreu drove in a run with a single that left the bat at 108 mph. He also flied out twice, both hard-hit balls, and lined out weakly. He should play right field on Wednesday before joining the Red Sox over the weekend in San Francisco.
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Nick Sogard got the WooSox on the board with a solo home run in the third, his third home run of the season with Worcester. The WooSox rallied for four runs, including one off of rehabbing major leaguer Nick Sandlin. Trayce Thompson reached base three times on the night with a pair of walks and a triple. Vaughn Grissom also doubled in a run.
Chris Murphy made his third rehab appearance with the WooSox and allowed a run on a couple of hits.
Notes
WooSox manager Chad Tracy finally got to give some insight on Anthony's call-up last Tuesday with the team back in town. Some might have noticed there was no video from inside the manager's office of the top prospect getting the news. Tracy didn't get the chance to do a classic bait-and-switch on Anthony; the team was holding the buses to Allentown, waiting for direction from the Red Sox as the Red Sox waited for news on Abreu's injury. So when the WooSox finally heard that they'd be leaving Anthony behind, Tracy got to tell Anthony with the whole team around.
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'I guess in a way, it was cool. My vision of doing that with Roman was to be able to do it in front of the whole team just because of the type of person and teammate he is and how loved he was here,' Tracy said. 'I knew people would would go crazy for him because they love him.'
Anthony got to give all of his teammates hugs before they boarded the buses, and then he had to collect as many of his belongings as he could - although some of those items were already on a FedEx truck to Pennsylvania.
Anthony, who is always even-keeled, cracked a big smile when he got the news.
'When you get a a bit a a huge smile, when you get that out of Roman, you got something,' Tracy said.
What's Next
It will be a showdown of MLB All-Stars on Wednesday at Polar Park as Tanner Houck makes an rehab appearance for the WooSox, facing off against three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, who is rehabbing for Buffalo. First pitch is at 6:45 p.m.
Read the original article on MassLive.
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