Abreu is Boston¡¯s first rookie Gold Glove winner since 1975
Ian Browne
@IanMBrowneBOSTON -- Backed by range, all-out hustle and a cannon arm, Red Sox rookie Wilyer Abreu set himself apart enough on defense that he was announced as the American League¡¯s Gold Glove Award winner in right field on Sunday night.
By snagging that honor, Abreu joined select company, becoming Boston¡¯s first to win the award as a rookie since Fred Lynn in 1975.
Per Elias, he is just the seventh rookie outfielder to win a Gold Glove, joining Tommy Agee (1966), Lynn, Ichiro Suzuki (2001), Luis Robert (2020), Steven Kwan (2022) and Brenton Doyle (2023).
The 25-year-old Abreu came to the Red Sox along with Enmanuel Valdez from the Astros in exchange for Christian V¨¢zquez at the 2022 Trade Deadline.
A mostly unheralded prospect in the Astros¡¯ farm system, Abreu swiftly made his mark shortly after the trade, producing a breakout season for Triple-A Worcester in 2023 when he belted 22 homers to go with a .929 OPS.
That earned him a promotion to the Red Sox on Aug. 22 of that season, and he¡¯s been with the big league club ever since.
Abreu provided plenty of thrills in the outfield this season by being equally adept at tracking balls just in front of the wall or getting his uniform dirty by diving for sinking liners.
¡°Every time I see myself with dirt on my uniform, I feel happy because I feel like I¡¯m giving 100 percent and feel like I¡¯m helping the team,¡± Abreu told MLB.com in June. ¡°For me to be able to help this team win is very important.¡±
Another thing that set Abreu apart was the way he races back for a ball and extends his glove back just at the right time to snare it. It is as if he has a magnet in his glove.
¡°I think that the key thing for me is I never give up on the ball,¡± Abreu said. ¡°I play the ball until the last second, and that¡¯s the key. And even if I feel like the ball is over my head, I still go for it hard.¡±
While center field is the toughest outfield position at most MLB ballparks, right field has that distinction at Fenway Park.
Abreu proved from the outset he was capable of handling the challenging angles and the ample ground to cover from Pesky¡¯s Pole -- which is 302 feet from home plate -- to straightaway right, which extends to 380 feet.
By winning a Gold Glove as a right fielder for the Red Sox, Abreu joins a club that includes past standouts Mookie Betts, Shane Victorino, Dwight Evans and Jackie Jensen.
While the eye test was enough for just about any observer to see Abreu¡¯s prowess in right, the metrics backed up his performance.
Abreu recorded seven Outs Above Average, tied for first in MLB with Brewers outfielders Jackson Chourio and Sal Frelick. Abreu led the Majors in Defensive Runs Saved by a right fielder with 17, and his nine assists tied Hunter Renfroe and Juan Soto for most at the position.