Hurricane Irma ripping through Cuba overnight left Jose Abreu concerned for family members: ‘I couldn't sleep'

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If Jose Abreu looks like he didn’t sleep last night it’s because he didn’t.

The White Sox first baseman was concerned for his family members who were in the middle of Hurricane Irma in Cuba and the ones in its path in Miami. Abreu’s grandmother and son are still in Mal Tiempo, Cuba, where the storm arrived early Saturday morning. His pregnant wife and parents are in Miami, which should feel some effects of the outer bands as the hurricane travels up Florida’s west coast.

“(My family in Cuba is) good,” Abreu said through an interpreter. “Thank God they are good. They are safe. The last couple of hours were very stressful for me.

“I actually couldn’t sleep last night because the hurricane was passing through my home town. My grandmother and my kid are there. But I could speak with them and they are OK. Now I’m just waiting for the hurricane to touch base in Miami.”

The hurricane is expected to make landfall in South Florida on Sunday afternoon. Abreu thinks his family should be safe in Miami.

“I built a house like a fort just to be aware of that hurricane season,” Abreu said. “We all know that Miami is a very common place for a hurricane, but they are good and safe now. They are under protection.”

Abreu isn’t alone -- it has been a long week for several White Sox players whose families have been in the record-breaking hurricane’s path.

“I’m sure that their families are on their minds,” manager Rick Renteria said. “Like most professionals, you have to compartmentalize as best you possibly can.

“it’s tough. I’m sure everybody deals with it differently. Hopefully, our guys are able to deal with it as well as they possibly can and still do both things.”

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