MLB Trade Deadline 2017: 5 best spots for Jose Abreu
By John Buhler
The Chicago White Sox seem to be sellers heading into the July 31 MLB trade deadline. Here are five teams they could move first basemen Jose Abreu to.
With the worst record in the Junior Circuit, the Chicago White Sox have resolved into sellers ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline. General manager Rick Hahn has already shipped starter Jose Quintana across town to the Chicago Cubs for a sizable return. It seems that he’s not done making deals heading up to the deadline. Could first basemen Jose Abreu be on the move?
Abreu is quietly having a great season at first base for the White Sox. Through July 16, he is hitting .294 on the year with a .347 on-base percentage and slugging .513. He has 16 home runs and 56 runs batted in from the right side of the plate. Expect a few American League teams to inquire about him to provide some pop at first or a designated hitter role.
Abreu was an MVP candidate his rookie with South Siders back in 2014, but has yet to get back to the MLB All-Star Game in the three years since. Much of that has to do with the White Sox being one of the worst teams in the American League for the last decade or so.
If the White Sox do get a great offer for Abreu, here are five great landing spots for the guy. Expect him to stay in the Junior Circuit and would probably play for a team out West. Don’t expect Chicago to trade him within the division. Hahn would hate to see Abreu go to work on his club in the AL Central for the foreseeable future. Then again, Abreu is a free agent, so he may not stay with the White Sox or any AL Central for long anyway.
Los Angeles Angels
AL, West
What are the Los Angeles Angels? Can they somehow convince themselves that they can contend for a wild card berth this fall? Well, they did just get their best player back in outfielder Mike Trout, so that helps. Plus, the Angels are only 3.5 games back of the New York Yankees for the second AL wild card spot. How do the Angels get better?
Since Abreu is on the final year of his contract with the White Sox, the Angels can afford to bring him in to provide some pop at first base or as a designated hitter if the aging Albert Pujols isn’t cutting it anymore. Don’t worry, the Angels still have to pay Pujols. This is why baseball should take a chill pill on doing these insanely long deals. Thankfully he’s not cratering a non-existent salary cap for Los Angeles.
Right-handed power cannot be overlooked in any pennant race. That and a solid left-handed relief pitcher are arguably the two most precious commodities heading into a trade deadline. Given that Abreu is playing on an expiring, he won’t require a massive return for Hahn to pull the trigger. That being said, Abreu is in a position of power giving his highly coveted skill set heading into the deadline.
Frankly, Los Angeles probably needs to slow down and re-evaluate what exactly the club is trying to do as a baseball organization. Though they are only 3.5 games back of the Yankees, Los Angeles isn’t catching the Houston Astros in the AL West and should look for ways to get better long-term instead of going all-in on a postseason berth that likely isn’t coming. However, Abreu is a player that would make the Angels more competitive down the stretch.