HOUSTON — The Houston Astros will choice slumping first baseman Jose Abreu to their spring coaching facility to attempt to get the 2020 American League MVP again on monitor.
Common supervisor Dana Brown made the announcement Tuesday, saying that they’d make the transfer Wednesday. The 37-year-old will report back to the Astros advanced in West Palm Seaside, Florida.
Brown stated the choice was made after a gathering that included himself, Abreu, coaches and front-office personnel.
Abreu, within the second season of a $58.5 million, three-year contract, is hitting .099 with only one extra-base hit and three RBIs. In 77 plate appearances throughout 22 video games this season, Abreu has seven hits.
“You already know what’s been the toughest factor for me? And I say this from the underside of my coronary heart — I really feel embarrassed,” Abreu stated in Spanish throughout final weekend’s collection vs. the Colorado Rockies in Mexico. “The individuals on this group introduced me right here to do job. I have never carried out that. The laborious factor, too, is that my teammates see that I have never carried out my job, though they’ve at all times supported me, at all times been by my facet. However I will not keep down.”
Brown stated Abreu was very receptive throughout their dialog and had angle concerning the transfer.
“Jose Abreu is an impressive human being,” Brown stated. “He’s unselfish and he is a teammate’s man and he needs to get himself again to what he was doing final fall. And so, within the midst of this dialog, you may see that this man is passionate and decided to get again to serving to his crew.
“And so he unselfishly was on board with an settlement with going again to West Palm Seaside and getting some further bats, getting some detailed instruction on what we might do to get him again.”
The Astros chosen the contract of Joey Loperfido from Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday, and he’ll probably play some first base, however Brown indicated that he’d largely be used within the outfield. The 24-year-old was set to make his main league debut Tuesday evening in opposition to the Guardians in left subject, leaving Jon Singleton to fill in for Abreu at first base. Singleton entered Tuesday hitting .238 with 10 hits and no RBIs.
Abreu was the 2014 AL Rookie of the Yr and is a three-time All-Star and a three-time Silver Slugger award winner. He in his eleventh huge league season.
“He acquired to the purpose the place he was annoyed,” Brown stated. “It is uncommon to do it. However I believe it tells us about his dedication and dedication and I do not assume he sees this as a long run and I do not assume we see it as a long run factor. I believe it is extra like … let’s go down, let’s make some changes. Let’s get the rhythm and timing again. And I believe in his eyes, he is taking a look at it as I will be again in a few weeks or no matter it takes to get higher.”
Abreu hit .237 with 18 house runs and 90 RBIs final season in his first 12 months in Houston after 9 seasons with the White Sox. He had 4 homers and 13 RBIs in 11 postseason video games.
“The bat pace remains to be fairly good,” Brown stated. “So, we have got to get his timing proper and we have got to get his rhythm proper, in order that he can constantly do it. And so I nonetheless really feel very optimistic about it.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
