When it comes to winning big in the MLB, timing matters. Riding a hot streak through September and deep into October can turn a team from an afterthought into a champion. For the Boston Red Sox, the player embodiment of that idea has been Wilyer Abreu.
Abreu has been a solid all-around player since debuting in 2023, but he's never quite taken the leap to become an outright superstar. The 2026 season seemed to be the turning point for the 27-year-old.
Abreu turned a lot of heads in the World Baseball Classic, hitting .250/.345/.500 with two homers, including the dramatic go-ahead homer to lead Team Venezuela over Japan in the quarterfinals. While playing for Venezuela he earned a fan in countryman Salvador Perez, who has now taken the opportunity to heap praise on the Boston outfielder.
“He’s going to be the MVP if Boston makes it to the World Series… He’s built for a moment like that,” Perez said while speaking about Abreu.
It's hard to argue with that. Perez knows a thing or two about greatness. He's a nine-time All-Star, has won five Gold Gloves and five Silver Sluggers, and was the 2015 World Series MVP. He's also had the opportunity to see Abreu thrive with it all on the line during Venezuela's WBC title run.
Wilyer Abreu could be the Red Sox's X-factor now and throughout the playoffs
Abreu carried that WBC momentum into the regular season, slashing .307/.373/.482 over the season's first month. From there, though, he slowed down. From May 1 through July 31, Abreu hit .226/.301/.414, with the low point coming in July when he hit just .186.
It was an upsetting downturn, but it's being counterbalanced by the run he's currently on. Since August 1, Abreu is batting .257/.353/.491 with eight homers. The improvement is great for Boston, but it needs him to step up even more with the club's other slugger, Willson Contreras, on the sidelines.
Abreu's impact isn't just on the offensive side of the ball. The two-time Gold Glover is well on his way to a third, with 25 defensive runs saved, an MLB-best among right fielders. That's allowed him to consistently provide value, even when he's scuffling at the dish.
All in all, his all around impact has him in line for a six WAR season, per Baseball Reference, with him currently sitting at 5.7, blowing away his previous career high of 3.6.
Abreu's talent is undeniable. Perez mentioned he could be an MVP, and while he won't overtake the AL front-runners for the season award, could he be a World Series MVP? We can dream, right?
It's not far-fetched. Abreu has the talent to live up to a big postseason moment. He's got that clutch gene to make things happen when the lights are the brightest. We might have to wait until 2027 for him to nail down season-long offensive consistency, but in the meantime, he's an extremely important X-factor for the stretch run and the postseason.
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