With spring training coming to a close and the Opening Day roster officially released, all eyes point to repeat Gold Glove outfielder Wilyer Abreu. Abreu has grown as a ballplayer every year since the Sox traded for him in 2022.
Alex Cora has given Abreu his backing since then, and he has delivered in right field as a plus bat and one of the strongest arms in the league. With the Red Sox currently projected to have zero players hit over 20 home runs, according to Fangraphs, Cora does not doubt Abreu’s ability to surpass that threshold.
In 2025, Trevor Story and Abreu led the team with 25 and 22 home runs, respectively. With a rejuvenated roster, there is no reason to believe Abreu can’t surpass his 2025 totals.
ESPN Baseball Tonight with Buster Olney broke down Abreu’s talent and his outlook going into 2026. He spoke with Alex Cora and relayed the skipper's expectations for the outfielder.
“Yeah, I talked to Alex this spring for an extended time. And we were just talking about his team, and he just volunteers, ‘Well, Abreu is gonna hit 30 homers this year,’” Cora said on ESPN Baseball Tonight.
After a nuclear start to last season, Abreu entered the All-Star break with 18 home runs and a .822 OPS. His momentum slowed to end the season, finishing with a .247 average, .786 OPS, and a career-high 22 home runs after dealing with minor injuries that limited him to 115 games. He's had a similarly torrid start to this season, with a .364/.397/.636 slash line, 1.033 OPS and three home runs.
Two days in a row Wilyer’s left the yard! pic.twitter.com/YsZsZnCFMZ
— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 29, 2026
This spring, Abreu also had a strong World Baseball Classic campaign, posting two home runs and a .845 OPS for the winning Venezuela team. Abreu’s fan base has never been bigger, but he still has a lot to prove heading into 2026.
Abreu’s critics will point to his struggles against fastballs, especially up in the zone — a glaring gap he hasn’t fixed yet. He hit just .218 against fastballs and .181 against pitches in the upper third of the zone. If Abreu doesn’t fix this problem and pitching coaches across the league exploit it, he could have an underwhelming season.
However, Abreu mashed breaking balls last season, posting a .571 slugging percentage against them. Thirty-six of his 39 career home runs, and all 22 from 2025, were pulled to right field with his vertical swing path. His power against breaking balls and his 85th percentile bat speed allow him to pull lower pitches to deep right field.
Even with his ongoing development against high fastballs, Abreu is a highly volatile bat for 2026, with a legitimate chance to hit upwards of 30 home runs if he can stay healthy.