Jose Abreu says return is imminent as he works through problems

(Stacy Bengs, Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Jose Abreu will be back in the Astros lineup soon, according to the embattled first baseman and former MVP.

Abreu told reporters Saturday in Sugar Land, that he’ll be flying to Seattle Sunday and will re-join the Astros soon after.

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Abreu spent nearly a month in West Palm Beach reworking his swing with hitting coaches, along with help from former Astros Jeff Bagwell and Michael Brantley.

“I was wrong on my swing, and games speed up on you too much and it’s tough to see where you’re at,” said Abreu, through an interpreter. “I saw videos and didn’t see it, and now we found it and I hope that I can show it right away, right now, but it’s baseball, it’s a process.”

Abreu, who is hitting .099 in 77 major league plate appearances and had prolonged struggles in the second year of his 3-year, $58.5 million contract. Abreu admitted he struggled to the point of being lost on the field.

“When I was going through it, and your head isn’t in a good spot - there was a point, I’m telling you from the bottom of my heart, I couldn’t know how to hit, how to field, I was a little lost,” said Abreu. “But, I’m humble enough to recognize that and trying to be the best Jose Abreu I can be.”

Abreu went 7 for 22 (.318) in games in the Florida Complex League, and went 0-for-3 Friday night in his first appearance in Triple-A.

Abreu will DH Saturday for the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, before rejoining the Major League team.


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Murrow and Emmy award-winning sports anchor & reporter. Avid traveler, mediocre golfer. Loves good food, good friends and southern rap.

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