As Yuli Gurriel's tenure in Houston appears over, José Abreu is the perfect fit at first...
Houston Astros bullpen catcher Javier Bracamonte signs a kid’s glove during the Astros FanFest at Minute Maid Park on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023 in Houston.Look around a major league clubhouse and most lockers are stocked with opposing jerseys.
Some series aren’t complete without friends placing team allegiances aside and asking for a memento. Football players exchange jerseys in public, but baseball players prefer less publicity, often enlisting the help of clubhouse attendants who complete the transactions behind the scenes. Lance McCullers Jr. rarely participates in the tradition most players relish. He’s asked for two opposing jerseys across his seven-year major league career. One came from George Springer after he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, a gift between longtime teammates. McCullers’ other request came last season after so many years of admiring a slugging White Sox first baseman from afar. “I only have two jerseys from non-Astros players that I’ve ever asked in my career and José is one of them,” McCullers said on Saturday. “I have a lot of respect for José. Obviously Yuli is still out there and we hope to bring him back and he’s been an amazing, humongous piece for us over this run, but José Abreu is a special talent and we’re so excited to have him.” Abreu’s unofficial welcome to Houston arrived on Saturday. He signed autographs and accepted selfie requests from a FanFest crowd that Astros officials estimated at 34,968. Faces far more familiar than his were the main attraction at Minute Maid Park, but Abreu’s presence on Saturday reinforced what a remarkable fit he is for such a void. “ just here to work,” Abreu said through an interpreter. “Obviously we’re continuing with the same family, but as an outsider, I’m here to join this family as well.” Barring something unforeseen, Gurriel’s seven-year tenure with the team is over, depriving it of a clubhouse cornerstone and a mentor for one of its most prodigious young players. Signing Abreu eliminated an everyday role for Gurriel in Houston, but owner Jim Crane maintained the team had interest in retaining him in a less prominent role. According to multiple people with knowledge of the situation, Gurriel is seeking more regular playing time and the Astros would rather give utility at-bats to David Hensley. The Miami Marlins and Minnesota Twins are in pursuit of Gurriel and, according to one person with knowledge of the situation, Miami is the most likely landing spot. MLB.com reported on Saturday the two sides were “nearing” a deal, but nothing is finalized. “As soon as signed, I was able to call and say hello to him,” designated hitter and countryman Yordan Alvarez said through an interpreter. “We’ve gotten a chance to talk a lot more and I’m obviously excited for him to be here. It’s a little hard losing Yuli, but losing a Cuban and at least getting another Cuban guy, I feel really excited for him to be here.” Alvarez leaned on both Gurriel and Aledmys Díaz for counsel during his first couple of major league seasons. Díaz departed for Oakland this winter. Gurriel’s exit is imminent, too. Abreu’s arrival helps to absorb both absences. He is an ideal fit for Houston’s offensive philosophy, a man with a miniscule 19.8 percent career strikeout rate and a .292 batting average. “That’s exactly the same thing Yuli was doing: make contact, put the ball in play, use the whole field,” hitting coach Alex Cintrón said. “He’s a big boy, a big strong guy … I think he has potential to start hitting homers in this ballpark.” Earlier this winter, Cintrón spent three days in Miami alongside Abreu. Cintrón’s known the slugger since 2009, but not as a coach knows a player. The trip served to build a relationship and start to understand Abreu’s pregame and pre-pitch routine.
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