Red Sox OF Wilyer Abreu sprains ankle on dugout steps, goes on IL

The Boston Red Sox placed Wilyer Abreu on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday after the rookie outfielder sprained his right ankle from a slip on the dugout steps during a home game Sunday against the Detroit Tigers.

Abreu was walking down the steps and into the Red Sox dugout at Fenway Park when he tripped and got some help from teammates as he limped to the bench.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora discussed Abreu's injury during his Tuesday appearance on WEEI's "Jones & Mego with Arcand" program.

"We've got bad news, actually. Willy (Abreu) going to the IL," Cora said. "Ankle sprain, the right one. Everyone saw what happened in the dugout in the seventh or eighth inning. He had an MRI yesterday and he's going to see a specialist now so we'll know how bad it is."

The move is retroactive to Monday. Abreu, 24, is batting .272 with 14 doubles, six home runs, 22 RBIs, a .344 on-base percentage and a .485 slugging percentage over 53 games.

Bobby Dalbec is expected to replace Abreu as the starting right fielder for the Red Sox's game Tuesday night against the visiting Atlanta Braves.

In a corresponding move, catcher Tyler Heineman was recalled from Triple-A Worcester. Heineman, 32, has played in one game for Boston, going 0-for-1. He was a combined 17-for-71 (.239) for Boston's Triple-A and Double-A affiliates this season.

--Field Level Media