Jose Abreu is a free agent, not yet re-signed with the White Sox, no matter how likely it seems that he'll be back with the team for the 2020 season.
The White Sox, though, did make a qualifying offer to Abreu on Monday, according to multiple reports. The qualifying offer is a one-year deal worth $17.8 million, which Abreu has 10 days to either accept or reject.
If Abreu accepts the qualifying offer, he will rejoin the White Sox on a one-year deal. If he rejects it, he'll go to free agency, and the White Sox would receive a draft pick if he were to sign with another team. Abreu can also reject the qualifying offer and negotiate a new deal with the White Sox. He can also negotiate a new deal with the White Sox over the next 10 days.
Given the number of outcomes, the White Sox risk little in making the qualifying offer. While Abreu's return to the White Sox has long seemed a foregone conclusion, given that the All-Star first baseman spent the entire season talking about how much he wants to stay on the South Side, this move allows the White Sox to come away with draft-pick compensation should he end up signing elsewhere.
As for the particulars about what draft pick the White Sox would receive should Abreu sign with another team, they are a tad confusing. If Abreu signs elsewhere, the White Sox would receive a draft pick for losing him. It is not the exact draft pick that the signing team would lose. Instead, the White Sox would get a draft pick based on the value of the contract. If that contract is worth more than $50 million, that pick would be after the first round. If the contract is worth less than $50 million, that pick would be after the second round.
There might be some wondering if all this is worth it, and certainly Abreu is worth keeping on the South Side. He had one of the more productive years in is mighty productive big league career in 2019, setting a new career high with 123 RBIs and coming three homers short of matching a career high in that category, as well. His .834 OPS was one of the top 30 in the American League. He also has well documented value as a clubhouse mentor to the team's young players, with Eloy Jimenez going as far as saying that Abreu was like a father to him during the 2019 season.
We'll have to wait for the resolution. Abreu has 10 days to officially accept or reject the qualifying offer.
