Houston Astros Upgrade at First Base, Add Free Agent Jose Abreu

The Houston Astros are finalizing a three-year contract with free agent first baseman Jose Abreu, USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale reports. The Astros appear to have replaced Yuli Gurriel at first base with Abreu, who played for the Chicago White Sox for the last nine years.

The Houston Astros are finalizing a three-year deal with free agent first baseman Jose Abreu, USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale reports.

Yuli Gurriel had manned first base for the Astros since 2016. Gurriel, 38, may have played his final game with the Astros in the World Series, unless the club plans to bring him back and use Jose Abreu as the club's designated hitter.

By adding Abreu, the Astros should be upgrading their offensive output at the position. Gurriel slashed just .242/.288/.647 in 2022. Abreu, 35, slashed .304/.378/.824 last season.

The Astros' lineup should be even better in 2023, with Abreu at first base.

Abreu spent the first nine years of his career playing for the Chicago White Sox, where he slashed .292/.354/.860 with 243 home runs and 863 RBI.

The White Sox will be without a cornerstone player in 2023 and will need to find a new identity without Abreu. Andrew Vaughn will likely move over to his natural position of first base.

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