Abreu 'not changing anything' as he looks to '25

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Spring Training is often a time for players to fine-tune a bit. It¡¯s a pitcher¡¯s time to test out a new arm slot against competition and a batter¡¯s opportunity to see if a tweaked stance really has added power.

Some players used new offseason routines to cut weight; others added muscle mass. March is when it all comes together, when what works and what doesn¡¯t is revealed and when the finishing touches are applied before Opening Day.

For Wilyer Abreu, perhaps the biggest change during the offseason was that there weren¡¯t any of the sweeping changes that often come from rookies. But after Abreu¡¯s first full season, can he be blamed for sticking with what worked?

¡°Last year was a great year, so in terms of the way I prepare, I just wanted to keep everything the exact same,¡± Abreu said Thursday through interpreter Daveson Perez. ¡°I got really good results, so I'm not changing anything.¡±

After landing with Boston via the Christian V¨¢zquez trade at the 2022 Deadline, Abreu vaulted from a behind-the-scenes Astros prospect to front and center stage with the Red Sox. He hit 22 homers and had a .929 OPS with Triple-A Worcester in ¡¯23, which earned him an Aug. 22 promotion to the big leagues.

In his first full MLB season, Abreu took on perhaps one of the most difficult defensive positions in baseball -- right field at Fenway Park -- and crushed expectations. He led the Majors with 17 defensive runs saved by a right fielder, had nine outfield assists and captured Boston¡¯s first Gold Glove Award by a rookie since 1975.

If there¡¯s anywhere to nitpick, Abreu aims to bump his .180 average against lefties last season to more of an even split (he hit .266 vs. righties). To be fair, he had just 67 plate appearances against lefties and more than five times as many (380) against righties, and the 25-year-old is confident that increased exposure will help him iron things out.

¡°I think last year was just a year of adapting for me,¡± he said. ¡°This year, I think I'm going in with a better understanding of how they want to attack me, what they're going to do to me and a better understanding of how to prepare throughout the year.¡±

And how does Abreu think Boston has prepared as a whole this offseason to improve upon its 81-81 record from 2024?

¡°I think with the additions that we made, we're a much better team,¡± he said. ¡°I think it's great for us, it's great for the fans and I think it's going to be a good year.¡±

Penrod undergoes MRI on sore shoulder
Manager Alex Cora said reliever Zach Penrod had further testing on the sore left shoulder he reported to trainers earlier this week. Cora said he expected to have the results from Wednesday's MRI on Friday. Penrod, the club's No. 28 prospect at the end of 2024, was considered an outside shot to make the Boston bullpen out of camp, and this potential setback seems to cement that. When asked what he was looking to see out of Penrod this year, Cora responded, "I think we have to wait until tomorrow. We need him healthy first."

Plenty ... Moore coming?
Cora let it slip during Thursday's post-workout scrum that the Red Sox aren't finished adding just yet. Toward the end of the conversation about Penrod, Cora ticked through his lefty bullpen options and then added, "There's plenty more coming in the upcoming days."

When pressed on his answer -- with an emphasis on the word "more" -- Cora chuckled at the pun and said, "I didn't even think of that."

• All of the 2024-2025 free agents, position by position

He declined further specifics, but Rob Bradford of radio station WEEI reported soon afterward that Boston was nearing a Minor League deal with veteran southpaw Matt Moore. The 35-year-old lefty has pitched 13 seasons for eight MLB teams. He pitched most recently with the Angels, where he worked to a 5-3 record and a 5.03 ERA in 51 appearances in 2024.

Moore was shut down for the season on Aug. 27 after he sustained a left forearm strain.

"We've felt like, the last few years, we had good [options], but we were short," Cora said. "Competition is good. The more the better."