The Red Sox and outfielder Wilyer Abreu had some extension talks a couple of years ago. Abreu mentioned, “It wasn’t the right moment to do it. So I just wanted to play and see what happened in the future.”
Since Craig Breslow took over as chief baseball officer in 2023, the Sox have been active with contract extensions. Brayan Bello and Ceddanne Rafaela were signed before the 2024 season.
The following year, Garrett Crochet and Kristian Campbell joined the fold. In August 2025, Roman Anthony secured an eight-year deal, while Aroldis Chapman added an extra guaranteed year before hitting free agency.
Abreu was approached around the same time as Bello and Rafaela, with just 28 games under his belt. While star prospects often land big contracts early, Abreu wasn’t quite in the same tier as some of his peers like Julio Rodríguez or Wander Franco, who received massive deals. Instead, he was likely closer to Rafaela's $49.3 million extension.
The specifics of the offer to Abreu remain unknown, but he chose to bet on himself. Over the past two seasons, he played 247 games, hitting 37 home runs and stealing 14 bases. His .250/.320/.464 batting line was 13% better than league average, according to wRC+, and his strong defense contributed to a 5.5 WAR over those seasons.
Despite his value, Abreu has primarily been a strong-side platoon player, struggling against lefties with a .205/.271/.318 line. The Sox hope to give him more opportunities against southpaws this year, and Abreu spent the offseason improving his approach against them. He’s in great shape and ready to prove his worth.
Abreu's service time is just over two years, so he won’t be eligible for arbitration until after the 2026 season, with free agency slated for 2029. While extension talks could resume, there’s no strong indication of that happening yet. Abreu is open to listening but hasn’t had recent discussions with the team.
First baseman Triston Casas was another player the Sox tried to extend a couple of years ago, but no deal was reached. Casas had a promising 2023 season but has struggled with injuries since. He hit 24 home runs in 2023 but was limited by injuries in 2024 and 2025, including a ruptured patellar tendon.
Casas remains confident, stating, “I felt like I could take the field and post an .850 OPS rolling out of bed. I still think I am that type of player.” Despite his potential, the Sox brought in Willson Contreras to cover first base, leaving Casas in a tricky spot as he works to get healthy.
Currently, Casas isn’t playing in games but aims to be ready by Opening Day, possibly starting on a minor league rehab assignment. The designated hitter role is crowded with Abreu, Anthony, Rafaela, Jarren Duran, and Masataka Yoshida all vying for time.
Casas could be optioned to the minors post-rehab, but given his talent, it might not be ideal. A trade could be an option, but the Sox might hesitate to sell low. Injuries could change the situation, making it interesting to see how the Sox handle this logjam.
Infielder Brendan Rodgers, in camp on a minor league deal, left today’s game with shoulder pain. “It’s pretty sore right now,” he said, but strength tests were promising.
Rodgers hasn’t played a position other than second base since 2021, making him a challenging fit for a versatile bench role. Despite injuries, the Sox have several healthy infielders, including Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler.