José Abreu Released by Astros; Former AL MVP Still Owed $30M on $58.5M Contract

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown announced Friday that the team has released first baseman José Abreu.

In 35 games this season, the 37-year-old Abreu hit just .124 (.361 OPS) with two home runs and seven RBI.

Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Astros still owe Abreu around $30 million on his three-year, $58.5 million deal.

Abreu has played 11 big league seasons. He spent his first nine with the Chicago White Sox and his last two for the Astros. Abreu is a three-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger who also took home 2020 American League MVP honors.

During his final season in Chicago (2022), Abreu hit .304 (.824 OPS) with 15 home runs and 75 RBI. He then left for the Astros in free agency but could not replicate that same success, hitting just .237 (.680 OPS). Abreu did amass 18 home runs and 190 RBI, however, over 141 games.

The 2024 campaign has been disastrous, however. The Astros optioned Abreu to the team's spring training facility in West Palm Beach, Florida in early May to try and figure out his hitting woes. At the time, he was hitting .099. with just one extra-base hit and three RBI.

Abreu returned on May 27, but he didn't fare much better. Over 13 games, Abreu went just 7-for-42 (.167) with one homer and two RBI.

With the 31-38 Astros floundering in third place in the AL West, Houston doesn't have the time to see if Abreu can turn it around. And as it stands now, it's unclear if Abreu will be able to do that. He's enjoyed an exceptional MLB career with many accolades, but it's possible that time has simply caught up to him.

Jon Singleton should step in as the team's primary first baseman. This season, he's hit .213 (.649 OPS) with five home runs and 14 RBI in 50 games.