WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Sometimes, less is more. That’s the Astros’ message this spring to veteran first baseman José Abreu, whose work ethic remains as strong as it was earlier in his career. Abreu perhaps puts in more time in the batting cage than anyone on the team, both in Spring Training and the regular season.
For a guy with so many accomplishments in his career, such practice is admirable, but the Astros would prefer that Abreu tone it down a little. It is preferred that he spend slightly less time in the batting cage and on his feet in order to conserve more energy for the demanding 162-game season. After all, Abreu is 37 years old, and he just finished a dismal first campaign in Houston that included a period on the disabled list due to a back issue.
“If it’s up to José, he’ll play 162, which is exactly what we want,” manager Joe Espada said. “But he has to monitor his volume and what he does prior to the game and how many swings he takes. I think he’s got a better feel of how to go about it and he made some adjustments in his offseason workouts. He’s in a really good place right now.”
After nine excellent seasons with the White Sox, Abreu signed a three-year, $58.5 million contract with the Astros in November 2022. However, he had difficulty for the majority of the season. It wasn’t until May 28 that he finally cracked the century-long 260 at-bat barrier without a home run. Finishing with 18 home runs, 90 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 87—the lowest of his career—he had a slash line of.237/.296/.383. Abreu’s career OPS of.860 prior to the season was significantly higher than his.680 OPS.
“The past is the past,” Abreu said. “Sometimes when things don’t go well, you’ve got to try to fix some things and learn from it and relax as much as possible. You try to learn as much as you can from bad things.”
After going on the injured list for 12 games in the middle of August, Abreu had a good finish to the season. From August 28 to the end of the regular season, he hit.250/.325/.558 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs. He also proved to be a valuable player in the postseason. Throughout 11 postseason games, Abreu had a.945 OPS, four home runs, and thirteen RBIs.
“He really wanted to show what he was all about last year, and he did that with his toughness and makeup,” Espada said. By being wise about his workload and other things, I believe we can shield him a little bit more. He’s going to be a really excellent player for us this year and productive, in my opinion.
Abreu claimed he started Pilates over the offseason in an attempt to maintain the condition of his back and other body parts. He advised it to reporters in jest, and he did it three times a week.
“I’m really appreciative of my agent for pushing me to go do it,” Abreu remarked. “It benefits the entire body.”
Like the slugger wants, a healthy Abreu will continue to shoulder a heavy workload this season. Abreu will be kept off his feet a little bit more by seeing more at-bats at designated hitter. Abreu started 134 games at first base and seven at designated hitter in the previous campaign.
“[Espada] is the one who gets to make those decisions, obviously,” stated Abreu. I think I’m in an excellent spot and would like to start at first base. The team’s ability to succeed is what matters most, and we’re willing to go above and beyond to ensure that they do so with me at DH.
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