White Sox, Jose Abreu agree to one-year deal, avoid arbitration
Jose Abreu and the Chicago White Sox have agreed to a contract for 2017, avoiding arbitration in the process.
As the rebuilding process continues for the Chicago White Sox, they reached an agreement with first baseman Jose Abreu on a contract for 2017, avoiding the sticky arbitration process. Abreu had previously opted out of the final three years and $34 million on his contract, electing to test arbitration. According to Phil Rogers of MLB.com, Abreu will make just under $11 million next year.
Abreu has already made considerably more money than a three-year veteran. He came to the big leagues from Cuba at the age of 27 and has already earned over $27 million in his career. While his new salary for 2017 will not represent a major raise over the $10.5 million he would have earned, Abreu is setting himself up well to make more than $34 million over the next three years. Typically, players in their first year of arbitration make much less than Abreu will make next year, but his is a special circumstance.
It would be a stretch to say that 2016 was a down year for Abreu, but it was by his lofty standards. He managed only 25 home runs and saw his OPS drop to .820. The numbers are still impressive, especially when considering the type of lineup the White Sox surrounded him with last season.
This new deal does not guarantee Abreu will finish or even start the 2017 season with the White Sox. With three years of team control left, Abreu is a very valuable trade chip and would command a hefty prospect haul given his relatively inexpensive contract. On the open market, a player with a .299/.360/.515 line with a home run every 20 at-bats would command over $20 million per year. Abreu will likely average out to close to $15 million per year as arbitration plays out.
Next: Breaking down the Chicago White Sox prospect haul
The Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers — all the teams that have been linked to Edwin Encarnacion — are potential landing spots if the White Sox get serious about trading Abreu. For now, though, the better course of action may be to hold onto him. While they have collected a haul of pitching prospects, the farm system remains weak when it comes to hitters.