The Houston Astros beat up on the Yankees again in the 2022 regular season, then they knocked them out of the playoffs again on their way to winning another World Series. And now while the Yankees wait for free agent Aaron Judge to decide whether he’s returning or leaving after a 62-homer season, the Astros have already hit an offseason home run.
Wanting to upgrade at first base, the Astros were interested in free agent Anthony Rizzo, who instead opted to return to the Yankees for $40 million over two years.
The Astros’ response was to go out and quickly lure in a bigger fish. After nine standout seasons with the Chicago White Sox, Cuban slugger Jose Abreu agreed to a three-year, $58.5 million contract with the Astros on Monday that will become official with a passed physical.
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Just like that, the Astros got a lot better at first base after getting little production last season from Yuli Gurriel, who’s on the free agent market as a 38-year-old who hit .242 with eight homers in 146 games last season.
Also, as YES Network analyst Cameron Maybin pointed out Monday on MLB Network’s MLB Tonight, Abreu is a career .310 hitter with eight homers and 30 RBI in 46 career games against the Yankees.
“You don’t think (the Astros) went out and made this move and looked at those numbers as ways that we can continue to get through the AL and try to get back to the World Series?” Maybin said. “Why not bring in a guy who absolutely kills the Yankees?”
Besides the Abreu signing, there are new rumors on Judge, Justin Verlander, Michael Conforto and other free agents.
Here is the latest MLB hot stove news:
JOSE ABREU
Club: Houston Astros.
Age: 35 (36 on Jan. 29, 2023).
2022 stats: White Sox, .304 average, 601 AB, 85 runs, 185 hits, 40 doubles, 15 HR, 75 RBI, 62 BB, 110 K, .824 OPS, 157 games.
The latest: Abreu picked the Astros over a three-year offer from the Cleveland Guardians, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported. MLB Network insider Chris Young applauds the Astros signing of Abreu, a three-time All-Star who was the 2020 AL MVP. “He’s going to hit in the sixth spot potentially going into next season,” Young said on MLB Tonight. “That’s how stacked this Astros’ lineup is. He feeds right into what the Astros do so well, putting the ball in play, going out there and putting together a great at-bat. Bringing in Jose Abreu … this may be potentially the best signing of the offseason as far as the production goes.”
* * *
XANDER BOGAERTS, SS
Age: 30 (31 on Oct. 1, 2023).
2022 stats: Red Sox, .307 average, 557 AB, 84 runs, 171 hits, 38 doubles, 15 HR, 73 RBI, 8 SB, 57 BB, 118 K, .833 OPS, 150 games.
The latest: FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray believes the Red Sox will re-sign Bogaerts, a four-time All-Star. “I’m hesitant to say that Bogaerts is the Red Sox’s plan 1A and 1B because he’s their 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D and 1E,” Murray said on The Baseball Insiders podcast. “The Red Sox are not making a real attempt at re-signing him, this is a bed that they made themselves. Now (agent) Scott Boras has the ability to talk to all these other teams and let Bogaerts establish his value on the open market. and that’s exactly what he wants to do with each of his free agents. (Bogaerts) talking to these other teams does not mean he’s not returning to Boston. That’s just him doing his due diligence, hearing what’s out there on the market. I still would be very surprised if Bogaerts does not re-sign with Boston. It may not happen as quickly as Red Sox fans or anyone in Boston would prefer, but this is what Boris does. He does not rush the market.”
* * *
MICHAEL CONFORTOOF
Age: 29 (30 on March 1, 2023).
2022 stats: Injured.
2021 stats: Mets, .232 average, 406 AB, 52 runs, 94 hits, 20 doubles, 14 RBI, 59 BB, 104 K, .729 OPS, 125 games.
The latest: The Seattle Mariners are “showing interest” in Conforto, MLB Network insider Jon Morosi reported. A career .255 hitter in seven seasons with the Mets, Conforto was an unsigned free agent last April when he announced that he would sit out the season due to a shoulder injury that occurred in January. Last August, a healthy Conforto rejected a two-year, $30M offer from the Astros that would have made him eligible for the 2022 postseason. The Astros reportedly are still interested in Conforto, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported.
* * *
KYLE GIBSON, RHP
Status: Free agent.
Age: 35 (36 on Oct. 23, 2023).
2022 stats: Phillies, 10-8, 5.05 ERA, 31 starts, 167.2 IP, 176 hits, 48 BB, 144 K.
The latest: Armed with some good young talent, the perennial-rebuilding Pittsburgh Pirates are making a push for Gibson after tapping into the free agent market last weekend to sign veteran first baseman Carlos Santana for one year at $6.7M. “They are absolutely in on Kyle Gibson, so the Pirates continue to be active behind the scenes,” Murray said. “I would fully expect them to add another starting pitcher. The recent success of (2021 Pirates left-handed starter) Tyler Anderson and (2022 Bucs left-handed starter) Jose Quintana revitalized their careers. I think that’s something other free agents look at and are like, ‘Hey, maybe this is a good spot for me to get my career back on track.'”
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AARON JUDGERF
Age: 30 (31 on April 26, 2023).
2022 stats: Yankees .311 average, 570 AB, 133 runs, 177 hits, 28 doubles, 62 HR, 131 RBI, 16 SB, 111 BB, 175 K, 1.111 OPS, 157 games.
The latest: Robert Murray wonders if there’s “a hidden meaning” behind last week’s short video of Judge entering a San Francisco hotel during his two days of meetings with the Giants. “I have a bunch of different thoughts on this” Murray said. “I think obviously Judge going to visit San Francisco shows once again that both sides are serious about a potential partnership here. And the Giants certainly have the money to sign Judge. … But Judge’s visit with the Giants. He’s kept everything private about his free agency, and then all of a sudden this (video) is made public. I wonder if that was for a reason. I just thought that was weird. Something didn’t feel right there … but I certainly think if there is a team that could steal Judge away from the Yankees, it is the Giants.”
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JUSTIN VERLANDER, RHP
Status: Free agent:
Age: 39 (40 on Feb. 20, 2023).
2022 stats: Astros, 18-4, 1.75 ERA, 28 starts, 175 IP, 116 hits, 29, BB 185 K.
The latest: The Astros have more big-market competition to keep Verlander than potentially the Yankees and Mets. The Los Angeles Dodgers had a face-to-face meeting with Verlander on Monday, Heyman reported. Verlander “would fit their preference for big talents on short-term deals,” Heyman tweeted. Verlander, who has a home in Los Angeles, is supposedly seeking a deal that rivals the three-year, $140M contract Max Scherzer landed from the Mets last winter. Scherzer, who turned 38 last July, has won three Cy Youngs. Verlander won his third this year. “I think the Dodgers are potentially the biggest threat to take Verlander from Astros” Young said on MLB Tonight. “When the offseason started, I thought it was favored for Verlander to go back to Houston and continue to create his legacy there, stay with the team that he’s comfortable with. He’s definitely kicking the tires with these big-market teams. I really believe the Dodgers will go that extra mile to get him.”
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Randy Miller may be reached at [email protected].