Jon Heyman reports that the Chicago White Sox have been in “active talks” with Boston Red Sox and other teams regarding a trade of first baseman Jose Abreu.
Abreu, the 2014 Rookie of the Year, hit .304/.354/.552 with 33 homers and 102 RBI last year, leading the American League in total bases. He turns 31 in January. The White Sox are in the midst of a comprehensive tear-down and rebuild, having already dealt Chris Sale, Adam Eaton, Todd Frazier, David Robertson, Melky Cabrera and Jose Quintana while building one of the best farm systems in baseball. In light of that, Abreu is clearly someone Chicago would be looking to deal despite the power he brings to the lineup.
His contract is pretty reasonable for a guy with his numbers. He’s under team control through 2019, and will be owed a salary $11.5 million next season and $12 million the following year. The Red Sox, of course, are in need of a first baseman and have been suggested as suitors for Eric Hosmer and Carlos Santana. Abreu would cost the team some prospects, but he’d come far cheaper in terms of salary over the next two years.
Seems like a good fit. And, either way, you can be sure the Sox will win the trade.
