AL East Injuries: Updates on Blue Jays' Erik Swanson, Yankees' Gerrit Cole, others

A lot happened in the American League East this weekend.
Toronto Blue Jays v Baltimore Orioles
Toronto Blue Jays v Baltimore Orioles | G Fiume/GettyImages
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Boston Red Sox

Wilyer Abreu
Sep 17, 2023: Boston Red Sox center fielder Wilyer Abreu (52) reacts after striking out against the Toronto Blue Jays during the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Wilyer Abreu

Abreu was a breakout star for the Red Sox last year when he slashed .253/.322/.781 in 132 games while also playing Gold Glove defense in the outfield.

He has yet to build on that this spring, however, as he's missed all of the exhibition schedule due to a gastrointestinal issue that's caused him to lose some weight.

He's yet to swing a bat this spring, and might not be ready in time for Opening Day.

If Abreu isn't ready for Opening Day, Boston could elect to play star prospect Kristian Campbell in the outfield and/or also call up fellow prospect Roman Anthony. Boston has some young reinforcements who could help fill Abreu's void, but Boston likely doesn't want to spend much time without Abreu in its lineup.

Brayan Bello

Bello is another Red Sox who hasn't played this spring, and he also appears to be tracking to miss Opening Day. Bello's dealing with a shoulder injury.

A one-time top prospect, Bello is coming off a season where he had a 4.49 ERA in 30 starts. His best season came in 2023 when he had a 4.24 ERA in 157 innings.

According to MLB.com's Ian Browne, Richard Fitts or Quinn Priester are the top two candidates to fill in for Bello. Fitts only allowed four earned runs in 20 2/3 innings for Boston last year, while Priester had a 4.71 ERA in 49 2/3 innings with Boston and Pittsburgh last season.

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