Astros reportedly signing former White Sox MVP 1B Jose Abreu

The rich are getting richer.

The Houston Astros are signing former AL MVP first baseman Jose Abreu to a roster fresh off a World Series win, according to multiple reports. The three-time All-Star has previously played his entire nine-year MLB career with the Chicago White Sox.

Abreu, 35, made his last All-Star game in 2019, but has maintained a potent bat in the heart of the White Sox order. He slashed .304/.378/.446 with 15 home runs and 75 RBI in 157 games in 2022. He won the AL MVP in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season after slashing .317/.370/.617 with 19 home runs and a league-leading 60 RBI in 60 games.

Abreu projects to replace 38-year-old Yuli Gurriel at first base as the Astros target their third World Series championship since 2017. After leading the AL with a .319 batting average in 2021, Gurriel slashed .242/.288/.360 with eight home runs and 53 RBI in 2022. His batting average and home run tally marked career lows for years in which he played a full season.