The Houston Astros are releasing slugger José Abreu.
The Astros signed Abreu before the 2023 season and he had a disastrous time with the team.
3
Before signing with the Astros, Abreu was a lifetime player for the Chicago White Sox.
He spent nine seasons in Chicago and was a highly regarded hitter.
Abreu hit more than 260 home runs with the White Sox and posted a .280 average in his nine years with the team.
He was part of three All Star teams and was named MVP in the shortened 2020 season.
All of this was enough for the Astros to sign Abreu to a three-year, $50 million contract to be the team’s new first baseman.
However, it all went downhill from there, as Abreu’s production fell off a cliff in Houston.
In his first season, he hit just .237 with 18 home runs.
This year things got even worse when he hit .124 with just two home runs.
Things got so bad that the Astros sent Abreu to the minor leagues to try to work out his struggles, but he couldn’t find his swing.
Ultimately, the team decided it was time to move on and released him from the team.
They shared a post after Abreu’s release that fans weren’t too happy about.
“Thank you for everything, José. We wish you good luck!” the Astros posted on the X.
Fans asked what to be thankful for for Abreu’s time in Houston and discussed in the comments of the post.
“FOR WHAT?!” one fan said.
Five Major MLB Rule Changes in 2024
1. The pitch clock is reduced from 20 to 18 seconds with runners on base. It will remain at 15 seconds with the bases empty.
2. When a pitching change is made, the inning clock will reset to 2:00 instead of 2:15 as it did last year.
3. Teams will only be able to visit four mounds per game in 2024, compared to five last season.
4. Defenders and defenders blocking bases will be called for obstruction.
5. The runners’ lane from home plate to first base has been widened to include the dirt between the grass and the white line.
“This is so sad bro,” said another fan.
“Thank you for what?” a third fan said.
“Have a good trip,” said a fourth fan.
After releasing Abreu, the Astros will still have to pay him about $30 million left on his contract.
Abreu is now free to sign with any team he chooses as a free agent.
3
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
