Abreu opens spring training as the leading candidate to start in right field, Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe reports. "His arm and the way he moves. He's a good defender," manager Alex Cora said. "That's why we're so confident. He's a good athlete. He likes to show off his arm."
Abreu made his MLB debut in 2023 and posted an .862 OPS over 85 plate appearances. Boston's coaches rave about his arm strength, which is important when playing right field at Fenway Park, especially after last season's limitations to shifting prevented infielders from lining up in short right. The 5-foot-10 Abreu hit for power in the minors with 22 home runs and a .264 ISO at Triple-A Worcester last year.