The Astros face stiff competition for Jose Abreu in the free agent market.
With Yuli Gurriel in free agency, the Houston Astros have a huge hole at first base in their lineup.
As it currently stands, the club will start 2023 with two unproven players splitting time at center in JJ Matijevic and catcher Yainer Díaz.
Of course, a club looking to build its 2022 World Series winning campaign will need to find a better production at first base than that.
Houston has rumored In earnest pursuit of 2020 AL MVP José Abreu to join his already lethal lineup.
Ken Rosenthal the athlete mentioned in modern column The San Diego Padres are also pursuing Abreu in the free agent market. To further muddy the waters, Abreu himself seems intrigued by the prospect of playing for one of two MLB teams in Florida.
MLB RUMORS: Jose Abreu for the Astros is not a sure thing
Abreu, 35, is from Cuba and owns a home in Florida, south of Miami. As Rosenthal points out, both the Rays and the Marlins are some of the most conservative spenders in the game, so a fit with either club can’t be guaranteed.
Abreu certainly did his part in 2022 to secure what could be a multi-year deal in free agency. In 157 games, the top slugger hit 15 home runs (a low number by his standards) but still managed a .304 batting average and an OPS of +133.
In each of the past two seasons, Abreu has managed a walk average of over 9%, easily the best of his career. Last season, he only made 16% of his plate appearances, showing that even if his power numbers are down a bit, he’s still proven to be one of the most valuable first basemen in the game.
fangrafs list resource Garrett Cooper penciled in the starting lineup with the Marlins for the upcoming campaign. Cooper, 31, was worth just one home run last season, hitting just nine home runs and hitting 25% of his plate appearances.
for raysthe team closest to the rift between the two Florida clubs, utility worker Jonathan Aranda was named the first baseman, with Christian Bethancourt and Isaac Paredes also selected.
With Houston having the deepest pockets among parties interested in Abreu, it could be difficult for Miami or Tampa Bay to shoo him away from a club that is almost guaranteed to be a World Series contender for years to come.
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