Jose Abreu is one of the biggest names on the free agent market right now. He has been the best player on the Chicago White Sox for a very long time now but his time might be up. They are sure to attempt bringing him back but it doesn't sound like that is a sure thing.
There are a lot of rumors out there right now when it comes to all of the free agents and Abreu is no exception. The most notable rumor out there right now about Abreu is that the Chicago Cubs have a big-time interest.
There are plenty of other teams out there that could really use a player like this like the New York Mets and Houston Astros but a new team appears to be interested.
According to a report, the San Diego Padres are interested in the former American League MVP. Of course they are. White Sox fans know all about Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. and now these guys want Abreu. It is honestly unreal.
The San Diego Padres see Jose Abreu as a big off-season target.
Sources: Free agent José Abreu has spoken with #Padres officials this month. Abreu is a top priority for the Padres, who are seeking middle-of-the-order power and have an opening at the DH/1B spot. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 19, 2022
Of course, Abreu would fit in well there. He wouldn't be so limited to contact as he was with the White Sox in 2022 and he would have many other MVP-caliber players around him in the lineup. That could be the case in Chicago but they are much more proven in San Diego.
Fernando Tatis Jr. is going to miss some games early in 2023 because of his suspension but Manny Machado and Juan Soto are two of the best players in all of baseball. Having guys like that surround you sure isn't a bad thing if you are having a change of scenry. He'd fit in well.
They are also a winning organization as of late too. In 2021, they were a disappointing team like the White Sox but they rebounded nicely in 2022. They made it all the way to the NLCS before the Philadelphia Phillies took them out.
Getting Tatis Jr (who didn't play at all in 2022) back and adding Abreu might be the key to taking another step for them.
It would be so sad to see him leave the White Sox but at least in this situation he wouldn't be going to the Cubs, an American League team, and would have a chance to win. All of those things are positives to look at if this Padres team actually landed him.