White Sox: Extension for Jose Abreu is More Important Now Than Ever
White Sox have a lot of payroll flexibility and by not signing superstar free agents, they have room to extend valuable veteran first baseman.
White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu has never experienced a winning season while playing major league baseball. Since his rookie season in 2014, the White Sox haven’t come close to contending or even finishing with a winning record in any year.
With Abreu set to become a free agent after the end of this upcoming season, the time to sign him to an extension for the White Sox is now. It’s more important than it ever has been for the Sox. The Sox missed out on signing some superstar free agents. It’s been reported about nationwide and locally.
What the White Sox can’t do is lose Abreu to free agency because the front office fails to act when the time is right and sign him to a contract extension. Currently, there isn’t a prospect in the Sox farm system that will replace Abreu’s production anytime soon.
Other than possibly Paul Goldschmidt who could be a free agent after this season, there aren’t many players that will be available for the White Sox to sign next offseason to replace Abreu. The Sox could possibly explore trading for a replacement for Abreu if they let him walk but there’s no guarantee that will happen.
The Sox could, however, guarantee that Abreu remains with the franchise for the remainder of his playing days with a contract extension. Abreu has stated multiple times that he wants to remain with the Sox and he’s clearly a good mentor for the younger players in the clubhouse. If the Sox are going to be competitive soon, it would only be right if Abreu was a part of the next contending team on the south side.
Over the last five seasons, Abreu has hit a total of 146 home runs with an impressive .295/.353/.516 slash line with a .869 OPS. He’s clearly been worth every penny of the $68 million contract he initially signed for six years back before the 2014 season. The Sox got a bargain in signing Abreu to what is still the largest contract in franchise history.
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If the Sox front office wants to save a little face from what has been a disastrous offseason according to which fan you ask, they will do the right thing and sign Abreu to a contract extension. This would Abreu to end his career in a Sox uniform and have a chance at not only being a part of the next contending Sox team but to also possibly win a World Series championship.