Jose Abreu To Queens? Yes, Please!
Jose Abreu To Queens? Yes, Please!
With the slugger potentially on his way out of the South Side, Queens could be his new home.
According to multiple reports, the Chicago White Sox and first baseman/designated hitter José Abreu plan to mutually part ways ahead of the 2023 season.
The 35-year-old slugger has been a mainstay at first base for the White Sox since defecting from Cuba in 2014. The American League Rookie of the Year in 2014 has amassed three Silver Slugger Awards, three trips to the All-Star Game, and the 2020 American League MVP award during the COVID-19 shortened season.
The biggest thing Abreu brings to the table is consistency. Since making his debut nine years ago, he has played in 150 games seven of his nine year career, including all 60 of the 2020 season. The Cienfuegos, Cuba native has been an on base machine during his time in Chicago, earning a .860 OB% over his career.
So what can he bring to Queens?
The Mets in 2022 were missing that consistent bat that could drive in the runners Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil couldn’t. Eduardo Escobar was inconsistent outside of the last month or so of the season, and although Mark Canha did get on base a lot, the power numbers were simply not present.
Daniel Vogelbach and Darin Ruf only mustered 32 RBI’s in 215 at-bats since being acquired by Billy Eppler ahead of the trade deadline back in August. Substituting the platoon of Vogelbach and Ruf for 150 games of Jose Abreu would be a huge upgrade for the Mets offense.
The biggest thing Abreu does by eliminating the platoon is usher in a sense of comfort in knowing he can hit pitchers throwing from both sides of the mound very well. Slash lines of .294/.387/.471 against lefties and .307/.376/.440 against righties provides plenty of consistency for the heart of the Mets line up next year.
His home run numbers were down this past season with his lowest single season total of his career with 15. His hard-hit percentage was up to 51.9%, the highest number of his career since 2020.
Abreu began hitting more gap to gap than driving the ball over the fence this year, making him more of a feared hitter than ever. He also knocked 40 doubles in 2022, the second highest in his career.
On the defensive side of things, Abreu does play the field, a lot. Although hes never won a Gold Glove, the first baseman enters year-10 of his big league career with a .992 fielding percentage. Pete Alonso has improved greatly since making his big league debut in 2019, however, the fear of not having someone to play first to give Alonso a day off would go away with Abreu in Queens.
If the Mets are looking for a consistent bat to bring up the end of the heart of the order, José Abreu could be their guy. Don’t shy away from the lack of long balls, the gap to gap and professional hitting prowess would be a welcoming change to the Mets lineup in 2023.
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