MADRID, Spain.- Cuban baseball player José Dariel Abreu will sign for three seasons with the Houston Astros, current Major League Baseball (MLB) champions.
The news, which had been advanced by USA Today reporter Bob Nightengale, was confirmed Monday by the club.
The Houston #Astros are finalizing a deal for free-agent first baseman Jose Abreu.
—Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 28, 2022
The Cienfuegos was one of the highest-level free agents in the Major League Baseball off-season market, and the Houston Astros needed a first baseman, especially after the departure of Yulieski Gourriel, Trey Mancini and Aledmys Diaz.
In the Astros, he will share a team with the Cuban Yordan Álvarez, the Venezuelan José Altuve, the Americans Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, and the Dominican Jeremy Peña.
Abreu, who will begin the 2023 season at age 36, played nine MLB seasons with the White Sox. With them, last year he posted averages of .304 / .378 / .446; he had 183 hits, 15 home runs and drove in 75 runs.
In his debut with the White Sox, in 2014, he won the Rookie of the Year award. In 2020 he was voted Major League Player of the Year. With this team he also reached three silver bats and three appearances in the All-Star Games.
José Dariel Abreu, born in the town of Cruces, Cienfuegos province, “deserted” from Cuba in August 2013 to enter the MLB free agent market.
During his career on the Island, in the LI Serie Nacional he finished second in home runs, one behind the record set by Alfredo Despaigne. He was part of the team that represented Cuba in the III World Baseball Classic; and in the XIV Rotterdam Baseball Tournament; both in 2013. He was selected for the “All Stars” on several occasions.
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