Overview
- Abreu reached his 20th home run for the season on Aug. 6, a total that includes five homers in his last six games and nine since the All‑Star break.
- Ten of Abreu’s 20 homers came in an 11‑game span, a concentration of power that has made him one of the hottest hitters in MLB right now.
- Interim manager Chad Tracy and Abreu say the surge stems from a shorter, more compact turn and better body stability that improve contact and launch rates.
- Preseason projection systems such as Steamer and ZiPS underpredicted Boston’s power this year and did not forecast a 20‑home‑run hitter for the club.
- The Red Sox have homered in nine straight games, and team power has had clear effects on outcomes with Boston 51‑23 when they homer and 11‑28 when they do not, a trend that matters for the club’s playoff push.