Astros Showing Interest In White Sox First Baseman Jose Abreu; What’s The Punchline?

Two general managers walk into a bar. While a bar might not have actually been present, for some reason, Houston Astros GM Jeff Luhnow has been chatting recently with his opposite number with the Chicago White Sox, Rick Hahn. According to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe, the subject of discussion seems to be the Astros’ interest in acquiring Sox first sacker/DH, Jose Abreu.

According to Connor Byrne of MLB Trade Rumors, “Abreu carries a stronger track record than Houston first baseman Yuli Gurriel and designated hitter Evan Gattis, either of whom could lose playing time to Abreu if the reigning world champs acquire him.”

Looking beyond right-handed hitters Gurriel and/or Gattis would seem to indicate Luhnow is dissatisfied with production from one or the pair. “Stronger track record” notwithstanding, where Yuli and Gattis are this year should be the yardstick for Luhnow, not Abreu’s career numbers.

And, indeed, La Piña and Oso Blanco have both produced bigger numbers across the board than has Abreu, frankly, to the point where any further talk of acquiring the South Sider would be laughable and completely pointless.

Abreu, also a right-hander, has spent 2018 cobbling together a disappointing .260/.316/.451 line in 373 plate appearances.

“The 31-year-old Abreu,” MLBTR contends, “also carries a high price tag, as he’s on a $13 million salary this season, and should land a raise over that figure next winter during his final trip through arbitration.”

And, with the Sox in a rebuild mode, they’d doubtless want more than a couple highly-ranked prospects, on top of Abreu’s current and future salary. What’s the point?

Related: Abreu Holds Off Yuli To Start at 1B in All-Star Game

During a four-game Minute Maid Park set the weekend following Independence Day, Luhnow has witnessed, from his suite, his defending champs bundling together runs enough to darn the Sox a total of 29-14 (outhitting them 41-24), extending their win streak to six, eclipsing 60 wins, and lengthening their AL West lead over Seattle to 4.0 games.

Through Sunday (July 8), the Astros have scored double-digit runs four times in seven games against Chicago this season.

In the most recent weekend’s games, Abreu limped to a two-for-16 effort, whiffing five times, and leaving eight fellow pale hosers on base. You don’t suppose Luhnow is confused and thinks he’s scouting Bobby Abreu, do you? That ship sailed two decades ago.

Conversely, in those same four games against the White Sox, Gurriel went six-for-13 with a three-run homer and seven RBIs. Gattis, who continues to put things together after a dreadful start, gathered five hits in his 12 ABs, contributing a double, four-bagger, three runs, and five RBIs.

Gurriel led the AL in batting average with runners in scoring position with .423, entering Sunday. In fact, Astros make up the top three of four in that stat. Joining Yuli are Alex Bregman, second with a .375, and Jose Altuve, fourth with .366.

Gurriel, through games of July 8, was hitting .303 with a .777 OPS. In fact, in his last six games, Yuli has raised his OPS from .727. Gattis was hitting .257 with a .832 OPS, while Abreu brandished a .259 BA and .762 OPS, both numbers that are lower than the two Astros’ (save for the couple BA points separating Abreu and Gattis).

Gattis leads the trio in home runs with 18 and RBIs with 62, a number that’s tied for second in the league. Abreu has doubled up Gurriel in homers with 12 and edged him in RBIs, 50-46. Abreu has 71 strikeouts in his 377 plate appearances, while Gattis has whiffed 65 times to Gurriel’s 33 in far fewer PAs (295 and 310 respectively).

In the WAR arena for this season, Gurriel’s 1.6 and Gattis’ 1.5 top Abreu’s barely detectable 0.3.

To acquire the less-than-game-changing 2018 version of Jose Abreu, incur his hefty salary, as well as suffer the loss of prospects going the other way, and then, see fewer at-bats doled out to solid offensive stalwarts (and well-liked teammates) Yuli and Gattis would, at the very least, be a joke with no punchline.

In fact, it would be sheer Luhnow-cy.

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