Jose Abreu is a three-time All-Star who also won the American League MVP Award in 2020 while playing with the Chicago White Sox. When the Astros signed Abreu before the 2023 season, they envisioned him playing a big role on the team. Abreu endured a down overall 2023 campaign, however, and 2024 has been even worse. As a result, the Astros have reportedly decided to option Abreu to the minor leagues, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic.
“He (Abreu) unselfishly was on board with an agreement with getting some detailed instruction on what we could do to get him back,” Astros general manager Dana Brown said, per Leah Vann of Chron.
The Astros are hopeful that Abreu will get back on track with this move. Perhaps taking some pressure off will lead to the former MVP finding his rhythm at the plate. Neither Abreu or the Astros view this as a long-term move.
“He was frustrated,” Brown said, per Julia Morales of Space City Home Network. “It’s rare to do it but it tells us about his dedication… I don’t think he sees it as a long-term thing and we don’t see it as a long-term thing.”
Astros and Jose Abreu both struggling
The Astros are struggling overall as a team. Houston currently holds just a 9-19 record and they are sitting in last place in the American League West. The Astros have been one of the best teams in baseball over the past few years, but their 2024 outlook does not appear to be incredibly optimistic at the moment.
Houston wants more production from the first base position. It is one thing to struggle, but Abreu has performed at a rather abysmal level so far in 2024.
The veteran first baseman is slashing .099/.156/.113/.269 across 22 games played. He has yet to hit a home run and has just one extra-base hit.
So how will the Astros replace Abreu for the time-being?
“(Jon) Singleton is going to be in the lineup tonight,” Brown said, via SportsTalk 790. “Jose (Espada) is going to piece it together in the meantime. We need to get some production out of first base, we will do whatever we have to do. We have guys on the roster that have played first base before… There's a lot of things that we could do.”
Jon Singleton is expected to start at first base on Tuesday night against the Cleveland Guardians. Yainer Diaz can also play first base if necessary, which is something Brown mentioned. The Astros will fill in the position for now, but they are likely hesitant to find a long-term replacement since they believe Jose Abreu will re-join the big league club at some point.
Abreu's ceiling his immense. There was a time when he was regarded as one of the best hitters in the entire sport. At 37 years old, though, it is possible that age is playing a role in his decline.
The Astros' game against the Guardians on Tuesday will be a challenge. At 19-9, Cleveland holds the best record in the American League. Houston will try to pull off the upset at home following their surprising Jose Abreu move.
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