Report: Houston Astros Have "Continuing Interest" in José Abreu
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José Abreu has yet to fall short of expectations, and after the Houston Astros lost out on Anthony Rizzo, they need a reliable first baseman.
According to a new report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Astros are have "continued interest" in the former White Sox slugger.
Over nine seasons with the Chicago White Sox, Abreu has a career slashline of .292/.354/.506. His OPS+ has never fallen below 117 in a single season. Even at age-36, it seems like he can be relied upon for consistent offensive output, something the Astros lacked during their 2022 World Series campaign.
With Rizzo now off the board, Abreu is the market's top first baseman. As supply decreases, demand rises. Abreu's asking price is likely now higher than it was at the beginning of free agency.
FanGraphs predicted a two-year deal in the range of $32-38 million, while MLB Trade Rumors predicted a deal of the same length for $40 million. Now it might take a three-year deal to secure the three-time Silver Slugger and 2020 AL MVP.
Given their current standing, the Astros must be willing to pay the fee, especially once they finally hire a new head of their front office.
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