The Houston Astros made the decision to release José Abreu on Friday, ending their relationship with the former AL MVP before the completion of his three-year, $58.5 million contract. Despite his struggles at the plate this season with a batting average of .124, two home runs, and seven RBIs, Abreu had been sent to the minors to work on his swing during the course of the season. The Astros still owe Abreu over $30 million from the contract he signed last year.
Abreu had a successful career with the Chicago White Sox, earning three All-Star selections during his nine years with the team. He was named the AL MVP in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, as well as the AL Rookie of the Year in 2014 after defecting from Cuba. However, his performance declined after joining the Astros, hitting a career-low .237 with 18 homers and 90 RBIs last year.
Despite his struggles with the Astros, Abreu’s track record as a consistent hitter and run producer may attract interest from other teams in need of offensive firepower. Throughout his 11 seasons in the MLB, Abreu has maintained a career batting average of .283 with 263 home runs and 960 RBIs.
