Red Sox: Wilyer Abreu Silver Slugger Case Gets Judge Boost

Boston Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu has his best chance yet at a Silver Slugger award after New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge played only 66 games this season, too few to qualify for another title. Abreu posted the best offensive season of his career in 2026, and the Wilyer Abreu Silver Slugger case now rests on his 24 home runs and 38 doubles for Boston.





Why did Aaron Judge's season open the door for Wilyer Abreu?


Aaron Judge, a five-time Silver Slugger winner with the New York Yankees, spent more than three months on the injured list with two different injuries this season. Judge played 66 games for New York, and that total is not enough to qualify for another Silver Slugger title in the American League outfield voting.


The Silver Slugger awards do not split outfielders by position. Three American League outfield awards are given each year, regardless of whether a player plays left field, center field, or right field, and the winners are chosen by a voting pool of MLB managers and coaches. A healthy Aaron Judge would normally take one of those three spots automatically, so Judge's absence gives every other American League outfielder, including Wilyer Abreu, a clearer path.




What do Wilyer Abreu stats 2026 show about his breakout season?


Wilyer Abreu stats 2026 were career bests across the board for the Boston Red Sox. Abreu batted .248 with a .327 on-base percentage and a .446 slugging percentage over a career-high 157 games for Boston.


Abreu hit 38 doubles, four triples, and 24 home runs for the Red Sox in 2026. His 24 home runs were second on the Boston Red Sox behind Willson Contreras, who hit 27, and his 38 doubles were the second-most in Major League Baseball this season, behind only Bryan Reynolds of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who hit 40.


Abreu also drove in 76 runs, scored 81 runs, collected 148 hits, and walked 71 times for Boston. On defense, Wilyer Abreu led Major League Baseball with 28 defensive runs saved in right field at Fenway Park, a total that already makes the Boston outfielder a leading Gold Glove candidate in right field.




Who are Wilyer Abreu's main rivals for a Silver Slugger?


Wilyer Abreu still faces stiff competition for one of the three American League outfield Silver Slugger awards, even with Aaron Judge out of contention. Impending free agent Randy Arozarena leads all American League outfielders with a .865 OPS, and Arozarena hit two more home runs than Abreu this season.


Riley Greene is another leading rival for Wilyer Abreu. Greene won his first Silver Slugger last year, Greene ranks second among American League outfielders with an .844 OPS, and Greene finished behind only Randy Arozarena in advanced production among American League outfielders.


Jac Caglianone, Dominic Canzone, Chase DeLauter, and Kody Clemens have also made strong cases for an American League outfield Silver Slugger. Abreu finished 11th among American League outfielders with a 112 wRC+, so the Boston right fielder will need the voting managers and coaches to weigh his home run total, his doubles total, and his full 157-game workload heavily.




What happens next for Wilyer Abreu and the Red Sox?


The Silver Slugger winners will be announced later this fall, after the voting by MLB managers and coaches is complete. For Wilyer Abreu, a Silver Slugger would be his first offensive award, and it would sit alongside the defensive recognition the Boston Red Sox right fielder has already earned in right field.


For the Boston Red Sox, an Abreu award would also confirm a clear development win at Fenway Park. Boston watched Wilyer Abreu play a career-high 157 games, hit second on the team in home runs, and finish second in all of Major League Baseball in doubles, and that combination is exactly what the Red Sox need from a core outfielder heading into 2027.


Frequently asked questions


Can Wilyer Abreu win a Silver Slugger in 2026?

Yes. Wilyer Abreu can win a Silver Slugger in 2026 because three American League outfield awards are given regardless of position, and Aaron Judge played only 66 games for the New York Yankees, too few to qualify for another title.


What were Wilyer Abreu's home run and doubles totals in 2026?

Wilyer Abreu hit 24 home runs and 38 doubles for the Boston Red Sox in 2026. His 38 doubles were the second-most in Major League Baseball, behind Bryan Reynolds of the Pittsburgh Pirates with 40.


Who votes for the Silver Slugger awards?

The Silver Slugger winners are chosen by a voting pool of Major League Baseball managers and coaches. The voting pool decides the three American League outfield winners, along with the winners at every other position in both leagues.


Sources:

https://bosoxinjection.com/red-sox-have-yankees-to-thank-for-wilyer-abreus-surging-silver-slugger-case

https://nesn.com/boston-red-sox/news/red-sox-year-review-2026-wilyer-abreu-season/464479c663fa2899289d51f1

Location: Boston, MA, USA

Latest News

Loading latest stories…

Popular posts from this blog

Bruins Chase Fifth Straight Win Tonight Against Winless Kings

Image
The Boston Bruins are red hot, and they get another late night in Los Angeles tonight with a chance to make it five straight wins. The Bruins (6-2-0) visit the Los Angeles Kings (0-3-2) at Crypto.com Arena with puck drop set for 9 p.m. ET on NESN. Boston is riding a four-game winning streak after Friday night's 4-2 comeback over the Anaheim Ducks, where the Bruins trailed 2-0 before scoring four unanswered goals. Tonight is the third stop on a four-game road trip, and the Bruins have won both games so far on the trip. Swayman Returns to the Crease Jeremy Swayman is expected to start in net after Michael DiPietro earned his first NHL win on Friday in Anaheim, per NHL.com. Swayman has been excellent to open the season, going 5-1-0 with a 1.99 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. Offensively, Boston keeps rolling through captain David Pastrnak. His third goal of the season Friday gave him 423 for his career, passing Brad Marchand for fourth on the Bruins' all-time goa...
Read more

Red Sox Release Catcher Juan Montero After Six Years

Image
The Boston Red Sox have quietly begun their offseason housecleaning. The Worcester Red Sox released catcher Juan Montero earlier this week, ending the 24-year-old’s six-year run in the organization, according to the minor-league transactions log reflected on his official MiLB.com profile. The move was first reported Saturday. A Quiet End to a Six-Year Run Montero made his professional debut in 2021 and spent six seasons in the Red Sox farm system as a defense-first backstop. His profile was exactly that of a minor-league glove man: a solid defensive reputation tempered by limited offense and availability. Across 446 minor-league plate appearances, he slashed .209/.337/.302 with two home runs, 38 RBI and 122 strikeouts. The release clears a roster spot in Triple-A Worcester and signals that Montero was no longer part of the organization’s catching-depth plans. For Montero, it opens the door to free agency and a chance to catch on with another club before spring training. At 24, he remai...
Read more

Bruins Rally Past Ducks 4-2: Lindholm, Pastrnak Spark Comeback

Image
The Boston Bruins stormed back from a two-goal first-period deficit to beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 on Friday night at Honda Center, scoring four unanswered goals -- three on the power play -- to extend their winning streak to four games and improve to 6-2-0 on the season. Bruins Erase 2-0 Hole in Anaheim The night started badly for Boston. Tim Washe opened the scoring with 37.3 seconds left in the first period, sliding a long wrist shot through a screen and through Michael DiPietro's legs. Just 21 seconds later, Beckett Sennecke finished a slick passing play -- Cutter Gauthier touching it to Nikita Nesterenko, who fed Sennecke for the redirect at the far post -- to make it 2-0. Sennecke's tally was his fifth of the season. Anaheim controlled the opening 20 minutes, but the Ducks went into a shell. They managed only four shots on goal in the third period and were blanked on five power-play chances after entering the night with the league's second-best power play at 33.3 perce...
Read more

Red Sox Land Three 2026 Gold Glove Finalists

Image
The Boston Red Sox may have fallen short in the Wild Card round, but their defense earned league-wide recognition this week. On Wednesday, Rawlings announced the 2026 Gold Glove Award finalists, and three Red Sox players made the cut: right fielder Wilyer Abreu, center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela, and third baseman Caleb Durbin. Abreu Eyes a Third Straight Gold Glove Abreu is the headliner of the trio. The right fielder has won the award in each of the last two seasons, and the 2026 numbers suggest he remains the class of the position. He led all major league outfielders with 28 defensive runs saved and paced all right fielders with 13 assists. The competition in right field includes Toronto's Nathan Lukes and Houston's Cam Smith, but Abreu's track record and run-prevention totals make him a strong candidate to capture a third consecutive trophy. He also posted a career-best 24 home runs and 76 RBIs at the plate, rounding out one of the best all-around seasons of any Red Sox p...
Read more

Red Sox Trade Rumors: Padres 'Love' Jarren Duran, Says Heyman

Image
Jarren Duran's time in Boston could be running out. MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on the Bleacher Report app this week that if the Red Sox trade Duran this offseason, it will "probably be to the Padres because they love him." The Athletic's Dennis Lin added fuel, reporting that Boston and San Diego have had recent trade discussions centered on the 30-year-old outfielder, per multiple reports. There is no indication a deal is imminent, but the league-wide interest is real: several clubs have reached out to the Red Sox front office about Duran's availability. Why Duran Could Be On The Move The 2026 season was the worst of Duran's career. The former All-Star batted just .207 with a .627 OPS across 151 games, making him one of the least productive qualified hitters in baseball. That is a stunning fall from his 9.0-bWAR breakout campaign in 2024, and his production has now declined two straight years, from 4.9 bWAR in 2025 to 0.4 this season....
Read more

Red Sox's Willson Contreras Fumes After Brother Snubbed for NLCS MVP

Image
Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras made his feelings about the National League Championship Series MVP vote crystal clear Thursday night — then quickly tried to take it back. A Family Feud Ignites After the Pennant Shortly after the Milwaukee Brewers completed a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday to win their first pennant since 1982, Contreras took to Instagram to argue that his brother William — Milwaukee's star catcher — deserved the NLCS MVP award over teammate Jake Bauers. In a series of three now-deleted Instagram stories, Contreras posted a photo of his brother wearing a crown with the caption "THE REAL MVP," followed by a screenshot of William's postseason numbers captioned "Numbers don't lie." A third story carried the pointed line, "Tell me where you are from, and I'll give you the MVP," which many interpreted as an accusation of bias in the voting. Per reports from EssentiallySports and albat.com, Contrer...
Read more

Patriots Expected to Activate A.J. Brown for Jets Game

Image
The New England Patriots are expected to activate star wide receiver A.J. Brown off injured reserve on Saturday, and the plan is for him to suit up Sunday against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium, according to a report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Brown has spent the past four weeks on IR after suffering a high ankle sprain in his Patriots debut, a 13-10 season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The 29-year-old three-time Pro Bowler caught three passes for 26 yards in the first half of that game before leaving in the third quarter, and the injury was diagnosed as a high ankle sprain that landed him on IR the next day. The veteran opened his 21-day practice window on Wednesday and was a limited participant throughout the week. Head coach Mike Vrabel struck a cautious tone Friday, telling reporters, "I think he looks okay, like everybody. Some good plays, some bad plays. We're trying to see where his conditioning level is and see how he may feel here after practi...
Read more

Patriots Get Christian Gonzalez Back for Week 6 Jets Showdown

Image
The New England Patriots will have their top cornerback back for Sunday’s AFC East showdown with the New York Jets. Christian Gonzalez is off the team’s injury report and is expected to play at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, giving head coach Mike Vrabel’s defense its most important piece back at exactly the right time. Gonzalez injured his shoulder in the Patriots’ Week 3 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and has missed the last two games, against the Bills and the Raiders. He returned to practice this week, was listed as limited on Wednesday, and was upgraded to a full participant on Thursday — a clear sign he is ready to go. The All-Pro corner had vowed earlier in the week that he would be ready for the Jets game, and he will now suit up for his fourth game of the season following his blockbuster offseason extension. A Thin Secondary Gets Its Anchor Back Gonzalez’s return could not come at a better time for a banged-up Patriots secondary. Starting cornerback Carlton Davis III (...
Read more