The Houston Astros optioned Jose Abreu to the minor leagues on April 30. The three-time All-Star and former MVP was off to a rough start at the plate, slashing .099/.156/.113 with seven hits, six runs, and three RBI in 71 AB. With a glaring -1.5 WAR plastered below his name on Baseball Reference, Abreu was at the lowest point of his career. Something needed to change.
This was not your standard minor league assignment, of course. Abreu is a well-established star at 37 years old. Generally, veterans of his stature don't approve or ask for a minor-league option. And yet, the Astros proceeded with Abreu's full blessing and took the opportunity to take a slightly unconventional approach to his assignment.
Abreu was sent to the Astros' facility in West Palm Beach for what Joe Espada likened to a second spring training.
"We want to control the volume of at-bats he gets. We will have the coordinators there with him, guys hitting ground balls. We’re going to progress into the volume that he needs. We want to get it right. … We will let José dictate how many at-bats [he gets] and how to progress from one day to another."
Houston wanted to get Abreu in a controlled environment that is conducive to personal growth. The goal was simple — to hammer out Abreu's timing and restore confidence in his swing. It has been a steady decline for Abreu since he signed with the Astros last season, but his slump out of the gates in 2024 was a new low. Drastic action was required.
Now, Abreu is edging closer to his return. According to Houston GM Dana Brown, the three-time Silver Slugger could rejoin the lineup as soon as Friday, when the Astros face the Oakland Athletics.
Astros general manager Dana Brown told @raford3 that José Abreu could rejoin the team this Friday in Oakland. Brown, Joe Espada and Jeff Bagwell had a conversation yesterday about it, Brown said. Abreu will play a few more games — either in WPB or Triple-A — before Friday
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) May 19, 2024
Astros are close to calling up Jose Abreu after brief minor league stint
Abreu has registered nine at-bats in the Florida Complex League since his demotion, the lowest level of affiliated minor league baseball. He is 2-for-9 with a double. That is not much information to work with. He figures to get a few more games under his belt before the call-up, but Abreu's return will be predicated on the Astros' needs and his own confidence, not meaningless numbers with a rookie team.
Now, should the Astros actually want Abreu back? That is the real question here. There's no evident need to expedite his assignment, as Houston is 10-7 in the month of May since Abreu was sent down. The Astros aren't a better team without Abreu at his peak, but Houston is certainly a better team without Abreu in his current state. Or more accurately, the state he was in before the assignment.
Again, Abreu is at the controls here. He accepted the demotion, taking responsibility for his slow start and vowing to improve. He could have refused the Astros' motion to send him to the FCL, to face rookies in a "controlled environment," but he did not. He wanted to get back into a rhythm and help his team.
Fresh off the worst stretch of his career, however, it's safe to ponder how effective Abreu can be at this stage. He's not exactly a spring chicken at 37, and even the great players are ousted by Father Time eventually. Maybe Abreu's days as a full-time member of the Astros' lineup are in the rearview mirror. That would be unfortunate, but it feels more than plausible.
Houston has momentum for the first time in weeks. Hopefully Abreu doesn't disrupt it.