Was it a Mistake for the Houston Astros to Move on From Gurriel?
The Houston Astros are not performing up to their standard this season. One of the most prominent culprits to their offensive struggles is first baseman José Abreu.
Abreu is currently slugging .227/.267/.258 and has yet to hit a home run. Hardly the performance the reigning World Series champions were looking for when they signed the 36-year-old to a three-year, $58.5 million contract this winter.
They signed Abreu in favor of Yuli Gurriel, a fan favorite who may have been showing signs of decline last season. Gurriel ended up with the Miami Marlins on a minor league deal, but has played in 18 games this year at the MLB level. His contract is now worth $1.25 million.
Gurriel is slashing .292/.329/.431 with two home runs. A smaller sample size than Abreu's, but Gurriel has showed more power and contact in that time.
If Gurriel wasn't re-signed because of decline worry, than Houston must be incredibly worried from what they are seeing out of Abreu.
Sure, Abreu was the American League MVP in 2020 when the season was shortened by COVID-19. But this is performance is something of a player who has totally lost it.
Abreu has admitted that he has been having difficulty seeing the ball with how his hands and head are positioned. But for a player with nearly a decade of experience, simply "not seeing" the ball is worrisome.
None of that even mentions his contract.
At $58.5 million over three years, that likely hindered the Astros in pursuing pitching depth. Something they desperately need now with Luis Garcia going under the knife and Jose Urquidy out.
Gurriel could have been had on a one-year deal worth a fraction of what Abreu received. All early indications show Gurriel is more productive as well.
In the end, you can't fault Houston for pursuing a player like Abreu, but hindsight is always 20/20 and having Gurriel man first base for the Astros right now would be a sight for sore eyes.
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