The adage about the Chicago White Sox is that once a player leaves the organization, they become the best versions of themselves. It often leaves fans wondering why they don't have that same level of success in Chicago.
However, that's not the case with every player who leaves the White Sox. Some players notably struggle once they leave.
While players like Andrew Vaughn, Tanner Banks, and Carlos Rodón, to name a few, have all found success with their new teams, former AL MVP José Abreu has proven to be the exception to the rule.
Abreu, 38, was one of the White Sox's best players for almost a decade after coming over from Cuba, and after leaving the team in 2022 for the Houston Astros, he was a shell of his former self.
Abreu’s decline after leaving the White Sox was so severe that he joined a list for the 2025 season that everyone would rather not be on, especially since he's not even in baseball to offer a counterargument.
José Abreu is named to the “2025 All-Overpaid” team
José Abreu left the White Sox in the offseason before the 2023 season and signed a three-year contract with the Astros worth $58.5 million.
The Astros needed a first baseman after a disappointing performance by Yuli Gurriel during the 2022 season, and thought Abreu would be an upgrade over his fellow countryman. Abreu had just hit .304 with an OPS of .824 in 2022, and finishing 17th in the MVP voting for the White Sox.
Sadly, that never ended up happening. Abreu struggled to live up to the hype surrounding him in Houston, having the worst year of his career (up till that point), hitting .237/.296/.383 for an OPS of .680 (career low). While he drove in 90 runs, Abreu only hit 18 home runs.
Things didn't stop there, with Abreu’s numbers declining further in 2024, forcing the Astros to release him after 35 games when he hit .124 for an OPS of .361.
Even though Abreu is no longer on the active roster, he is still causing a headache for the Astros. He is still getting paid just as much as All-Star closer Josh Harder ($19.075 million), which led to Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report adding him to the “2025 All-Overpaid” team.
Ironically, ranked ahead of him is Christian Walker, whom the Astros signed this past offseason to be Abreu’s replacement. Walker has also failed to live up to the hype, and has struggled in the first year of his three-year deal.
“Adding insult to the injury of Walker's poor play is the fact that Houston was already paying $19.5 million in 2025 for this first baseman it had released last June, not even halfway through his three-year, $58.5 million contract," wrote Miller, justifying Abreu being the runner-up.
"At least Abreu isn't actively hurting the team with poor play. But if he had just lived up to his contract in the first place, they never would've felt the need to sign Walker, for what is now a subpar, $40 million first-base situation.”
Abreu will always be a White Sox legend
Regardless of his struggles since leaving the White Sox, Abreu will always be remembered for helping them get back to being a competitive team.
In nine seasons with the Sox, Abreu hit .292(13th all-time)/.354/.506 for an OPS and OPS+ of .860 and 135. Abreu also appears in the top five for OPS (fifth at .860), home runs (third with 243), and RBI (fifth with 863).
In 2020, Abreu was named AL MVP, becoming the fifth player in White Sox history to win the award and the first since Frank Thomas.
Even though he's 38 and it seems like his career is over, jury is still out on if Abreu can find a one-year deal or even a minor league deal next season. A few teams, like the Colorado Rockies and the Minnesota Twins, are looking to be the two bottom feeders for next season.
Perhaps a possibility for a one-year final reunion could be in store for Abreu and the White Sox, as they'll need someone to fill in at first base for at least a year. It also couldn't hurt having his veteran presence in the clubhouse again.