Astros release struggling slugger Jose Abreu

Field Level Media|published: Fri 14th June, 14:37 2024

Jun 1, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros first baseman Jose Abreu (79) looks on before a game against the Minnesota Twins at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Astros released struggling slugger Jose Abreu from their major league roster on Friday.

The former American League MVP is batting just .124 with two homers and seven RBIs in 35 games this season.

Abreu was demoted to the Astros' Florida Complex League team on April 30. The three-time All-Star played five games there and two games at Triple-A Sugar Land before returning to the Houston lineup on May 27.

Abreu, 37, has batted .217 with 20 homers and 97 RBIs in 176 games since signing a three-year, $58.5 million deal with Houston in November 2022. He is due $19.5 million this season and the same amount in 2025.

Abreu was the AL Rookie of the Year with the Chicago White Sox in 2014 and made the All-Star teams with Chicago in 2014, 2018 and 2019.

He was crowned AL MVP in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign after batting .317 with 19 homers and 60 RBIs in just 60 games.

Across 11 seasons, Abreu has hit .283 in 1,446 games with 263 home runs and 960 RBIs for the White Sox (2014-22) and Astros. His 960 RBIs since his debut in 2014 are the most in the AL in that span.

--Field Level Media