Should the Red Sox trade Wilyer Abreu? Exploring the pros and cons

As the Boston Red Sox seek to upgrade their roster this offseason, chief baseball officer Caig Breslow has promised an aggressive approach.

CEO Sam Kennedy took that notion a step further this past week.

Even if it takes us over the CBT, Kennedy told the Boston Globe at the MLB owners meetings in New York this week.

Advertisement The notion of surpassing the $241 million luxury tax threshold was not something the Red Sox had yet publicly declared as a possibility for this offseason.

Our priority is 90 to 95 wins, and winning the American League East, and winning the division for multiple years, Kennedy added.

As the Red Sox double down on their commitment to fielding a more competitive team, that level of aggressiveness figures not just to extend to free agency but to the trade market, as well.

Breslow has made it clear hes willing to trade from a surplus of young talented players.

But to get good players, the Red Sox are going to have to give up good players.

And while the Red Soxs prospect group will be highly sought after, its increasingly likely the club will have to part with one of their current young big leaguers to complete a significant trade, as well.

The Red Soxs lineup skews heavily left-handed, so naturally a trio of left-handed hitters has popped up in trade discussions: Wilyer Abreu , Jarren Duran and Triston Casas .

Weve already delved into which free-agent starters , relievers and hitters might fit the Red Sox best.

As the offseason rolls on, well take a look at the trade candidacy of a few key players, beginning with Abreu.

The 25-year-old outfielder hit .253 with a .781 OPS and 15 homers in 132 games, finishing sixth in American League Rookie of the Year voting.

Abreu ranked second among all AL rookies with a 3.5 bWAR behind Texas Wyatt Langford and ahead of Rookie of the Year winner Luis Gil (3.1) and runner-up Colten Cowser (3.1).

He also led all rookies in doubles (33) and a .459 slugging percentage.

But Abreu excelled even more in the field, winning a Gold Glove in right field, becoming the first Red Sox rookie to win the award since Fred Lynn in 1975.

The only other Red Sox right fielders to have won the award in right field are Dwight Evans, Shane Victorino and Mookie Betts .

Abreu led all right fielders with 17 Defensive Runs Saved and was tied for first in the majors with 7 Outs Above Average and 9 outfield assists.

Advertisement Below, well take a look at some specific trade packages in early December, but here is a look at the pros and cons of the Red Sox trading Abreu: Why the Red Sox should trade Abreu Coming off a strong rookie season, Abreu has peak value.

Hes young, doesnt hit free agency until after the 2029 season, can hit and is an excellent defender.

Any team willing to trade a pitcher would likely have Abreu at the top of their list.

While it would be tough to part with Abreu, he represents a surplus in the Red Sox system.

Anthony, a lefty-hitting outfielder, became Baseball Americas No.

1 prospect at the end of the 2024 season and of anyone in the organization at the moment, he seems the least likely to be traded.

Anthony, who doesnt turn 21 until May, is a center fielder at the moment, but evaluators project him as a corner outfielder in the majors, which works if the Red Sox shift Duran to left and use Ceddanne Rafaela in center.

Anthony could be the clubs right fielder of the future, making an Abreu trade hurt less.

It seems likely the Red Sox would not trade both Abreu and Duran, so in trading Abreu, the Red Sox would still hold onto their lineup sparkplug in Duran.

Why they shouldnt trade Abreu Abreu isnt proven after one full season by any means, and of course theres the possibility of regression in 2025, but hes more proven than Anthony at the big-league level.

Theres always risk in banking on a prospect even if many evaluators consider Anthony a perennial All-Star caliber player.

Its worth noting that prospect projections are just that projections.

The only other No.

1 Red Sox prospects in Baseball America history were right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2007 and outfielder Andrew Benintendi in 2017.

Advertisement Abreu is far from Mookie Betts, but its not easy to play right field at Fenway Park and as a rookie, Abreu made it look easy, ranking as one of the best if not the best right fielders in the game while winning a Gold Glove and leading in all major defensive statistics as noted above.

While Abreu is a good, young, controllable player, he didnt have the same season as Duran, who posted an 8.7 bWAR, fifth in the majors trailing only Aaron Judge , Bobby Witt Jr.

, Shohei Ohtani and Gunnar Henderson .

And he doesnt carry the cache of being the top prospect in baseball as Anthony has attached to his name.

While Abreu would be a big piece of a package for a pitcher, Duran or Anthony would be more coveted and more of a sure bet to land a top trade chip without having to empty the best prospects in the farm system.

If the Red Sox trade Anthony, which admittedly doesnt seem likely, they surely would not add another top-10 prospect to a deal.

If they trade Abreu, they might have to include Marcelo Mayer , Kristian Campbell or Kyle Teel to bolster the trade.

The Red Sox could opt to play it safe and bet that Abreu will continue to progress and be a very good player, even if he never reaches the potential that Anthony possesses.

(Top photo: Brian Fluharty / Getty Images).

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