José Abreu has been one of the best first basemen in baseball since he signed with the Chicago White Sox after defecting from Cuba in 2013. As the 35-year-old tests MLB free agency once again, the market is just as strong as nearly 10 years ago.
While the White Sox aren’t bringing Abreu back, the lack of interest from his former team isn’t. diminishing his list of suitors. Multiple World Series contenders are making an aggressive run at the All-Star slugger, valuing his leadership in the clubhouse and his impact with the bat.
- José Abreu stats (2022): .304/.378/.446, 75 RBI, 137 wRC+, 3.9 fWAR
The level of interest is coming off a season that saw Abreu finish with a career-low 15 home runs. A year prior, the Silver Slugger Award winner drove in 117 runs with a 125 wRC+ and 30 home runs. While he only hit 15 home runs this past season, though, there are plenty of indications that was an outlier.
Related: José Abreu targeting two contenders
Since the start of free agency, the Houston Astros and San Diego Padres have been viewed as the co-favorites to land Abreu. Both teams have a massive void at first base and they each could offer the veteran an opportunity to compete for a World Series ring.
However, mystery teams tend to make noise during the offseason. No one expected the Minnesota Twins to sign All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa last winter. A year later, there could be another potential surprise.
An MLB executive told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic that while multiple clubs are interested in Abreu, the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays are now strong possibilities to land him. Abreu’s interest in both clubs is partially driven by location, as the Cuban native owns a home in Miami and enjoys Florida.
Related: MLB free agent tracker
Miami has the pitching to compete for the playoffs, but its lineup is one of the worst in baseball. The Marlins finished the regular reason 28th in batting average (.230), runs scored (586) and 27th in OPS (.658). Abreu would only be one piece, but he could make a significant contribution for at least the next two years.
While Tampa Bay had a more productive lineup in 2022, it had its own issues. Rays’ first baseman ranked 13th in wRC+ (113) and it received inconsistent contributions at designated hitter. Abreu’s presence in the clubhouse would be similar to what Nelson Cruz provided in 2021, only with significantly more production at the plate.
