Red Sox manager Alex Cora narrows down Gold Glove outfielder's return to next two series

The  Boston Red Sox are struggling badly after Roman Anthony went down with a strained oblique. Since September 2nd, the Sox have gone 3-6.

The Sox have gotten some much needed good news though, as manager Alex Cora revealed Gold Glove outfielder Wilyer Abreu is almost at 90% health, and when he gets to it, he’ll rejoin the team against either the Athletics or the Tampa Bay Rays.

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"We're shooting at one point next week. I'm not sure if it's the Athletics or Tampa. But he's feeling a lot better. Yesterday he ran at 86% ran. Like I said, getting to 90% is good enough for us.” Asked what 86% means, Cora said, "No idea. ... But it's 86. That's with the Catapult. So they're able to measure with that,” Cora said (via Christopher Smith).

The Sox definitely need Abreu back, as he can provide some sorely needed offense. With the Sox being in a rut since Anthony went down, Abreu could be the jolt that keeps them heading to the playoffs. 

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Abreu has been slashing .253/.325/.486/.811 with 22 homers and 69 RBI this season. Other than Trevor Story, Abreu is one of the only power bats on the team. With Story on a cold streak, Abreu could be the one to heat up, and in turn, heat the team up.

The Sox just need a sparkplug to return to their former selves from just a month ago, and Abreu can be that man. As long as the Sox make it to the playoffs, Anthony’s return could just be around the corner.

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