The Red Sox dropped their series opener against the Guardians, but there were a few bright spots for Boston on Monday.
One of them was provided by Wilyer Abreu, who ended the top half of the first inning at Fenway Park with one of the Red Sox’s best defensive plays of the season to date. José Ramírez tagged a Kutter Crawford slider to deep right field, but the Cleveland star was robbed of extra bases when Abreu raced back, leaped up and caught the baseball while crashing into the wall.
Crawford looked on in both excitement and disbelief after his Red Sox teammate flashed the leather. Alex Cora’s reaction to Abreu’s grab was far more subdued because, well, Boston’s manager didn’t see it in real-time.
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“When Ramírez hit it, I’m looking at Ramírez because it seems like he crushed that one,” Cora told reporters, per MassLive. “And all of a sudden the reaction of the fans. So I didn’t see it live. And then I saw the replay. Good one. Good one.”
Cora spotlighted Abreu before the game, harping on the importance for the Red Sox to get the 24-year-old at-bats against righties. With right-hander Tanner Bibee set to take the hill for the Guardians on Tuesday night, Abreu figures to be in Boston’s starting nine for the second contest of the four-game set.
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Featured image via Kim Klement Neitzel/USA TODAY Sports Images
