Chicago White Sox: Jose Abreu staying home is great

Jose Abreu accepted the qualifying offer on Thursday to remain with the Chicago White Sox in 2020 as reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Abreu will make $17.8 million next season as the QO calls for this season. With him back in the fold, the White Sox have their first base position set for at least another year.

In 2019, Abreu led the American League in RBI with 123 while slashing .284/.330/.503. He additionally hit 33 home runs and had a 119 OPS+.

Having him on board next season could prove vital for the organization as they try to move past their rebuild and become a contender.

The 32-year-old has been with the White Sox for the past six years and as the longest-tenured White Sox player, he brings valuable leadership for the younger players on the team as they transition to the big leagues.

While he leaves something to be desired defensively, the presence of an empty DH spot gives the team the option of moving him there if his defense were to become unbearable, which at first base is unlikely.

As of today, Abreu is the only player projected to be in the lineup that is 30 or older, which is a good sign for this roster going forward.

It also isn’t a bad thing to have someone in the lineup that isn’t in their youth like Abreu. He has an established reputation in the league, which could lead to the younger players getting better pitches to hit.

Despite Abreu accepting the QO, I would bet that extension talks with the team won’t be tabled as they appeared to be negotiating on that front over the last couple of weeks.

With the Cuban first baseman back in the fold, the team now likely will look to add another bat and fill out the rotation.

Jose Abreu‘s return before the end of November is a major plus for the team as the Chicago White Sox embark on their most critical offseason in years and they definitely need to focus on other positions.