Boston Red Sox
“‘Well, Abreu will hit 30 people this year.’ Like that’s a given.”
Alex Cora believes the Red Sox have a lot of power within their lineup. AFP Photos/Gerald Herbert
The 2026 Red Sox team has a lot of positives, especially with young players like Roman Anthony ready to build on the promise they showed last summer.
But FanGraphs isn’t entirely confident in Boston’s lineup and its ability to launch pitches in the Green Monster seats this season.
FanGraphs projections for 2026 ZiPs For next season there is no player in the Red Sox lineup expected to hit 20 or more home runs in 2026 — a serious concern for a Boston club that was largely pedestrian last year when it came to generating power at the plate.
These projections had Trevor Story, Anthony and Wiler Abreu with 18 home runs this season, with Wilson Contreras, Sedan Rafaela and Jarren Duran expected to have 17 each.
Alex Cora is among those who believe his club should have no problem getting the ball off the pitch this season, especially where one player is concerned.
in The latest episode of the Baseball Tonight Podcast.ESPN baseball writer Tim Kurkjian revealed in a conversation with Quora that the Red Sox manager believes Abreu will eclipse 30 home runs this season.
“I talked to Alex this spring for a long time, and we’re just talking about his team, and he’s just a volunteer: ‘Well, Abreu’s going to hit 30 players this year.’” “Like that’s a given,” Kurkdjian said. “I mean you look at how much he’s gotten better every year.
“He’s been in the major leagues and won a Gold Glove each of the last two years. [Cora] “Oh, he’ll be thirty this year,” he said. And when you watch it against Japan, then you watch it [Tuesday vs. Team USA]Who will wonder about that now? “You’re right, that’s why the Red Sox are such a dangerous team — because they have so few players like Wilier Abreu.”
Besides his value as an elite right-field defender, Abreu has plenty of upside with his production at the plate.
After hitting 15 home runs as a rookie in 2024, Abreu hit 22 homers and drove in 69 runs in just 115 games last season. Had he avoided an extended stint on the IL, Abreu could have approached or surpassed the 30-homer threshold last summer.
As long as Abreu can avoid injury trouble this season, there’s a lot to like about what Abreu can offer Boston as an elite hitter in their lineup moving forward. Abreu showed some of that power during the 2026 World Baseball Classic for Team Venezuela.
Abreu finished the international tournament with two home runs, connecting with a three-run shot against Japan in the quarterfinals before hitting a solo shot against the United States in the championship game. He closed out the WBC with seven RBI for the eventual champions.
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