Alex Cora Gives Update On Red Sox Outfielder Dealing With Health Scare

This surely isn’t the way Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu imagined his spring training starting.

Looking to build off a season in which the right fielder won a Gold Glove and finished sixth in American League Rookie of the Year voting, Abreu was immediately sidelined upon entering camp with a viral gastrointestinal illness.

The Red Sox shut down Abreu from baseball activities and that remains the case for the 25-year-old as manager Alex Cora provided an update on Abreu’s status Tuesday prior to Boston’s exhibition game against the Atlanta Braves.

“He can work out. He cannot do baseball activities yet,” Cora told reporters, per MassLive’s Christopher Smith.

The Red Sox are currently in wait-and-see mode when it comes to Abreu, who lost weight due to the illness, according to Cora. Cora said Abreu had more lab work done Monday.

“They are getting the results today. So we’re still waiting,” Cora said.

Abreu was expected to be an Opening Day starter in the outfield for the Red Sox alongside Ceddanne Rafaela and Jarren Duran. It’s unclear if Abreu’s health situation will impact that, but there is still a month until the start of the regular season for him to recover.

Abreu, who the Red Sox acquired at the 2022 trade deadline in the Christian Vázquez deal, batted .253 with 15 home runs, 58 RBIs and eight stolen bases in his first full season in the big leagues this past year. Abreu also led all AL outfielders with nine assists.

Abreu is the only Red Sox position player completely sidelined as Masataka Yoshida works his way back from shoulder surgery and Rafael Devers is progressing well after shoulder ailments hampered him last season.