As the Houston Astros head into the 2024 season, there are players who need to perform at a higher level than they did in 2023. At the top of that list is former MVP Jose Abreu.
Abreu, who will turn 37 before the season starts, had a tough stretch for most of the year. He had the worst season of his career, slashing .237/.296/.383 and finished with just 18 home runs, the second-fewest of his career.
After hitting his career-low of 15 homers the season prior, it's possible that the age is catching up with him and he can't swing the bat at an elite level like he once did.
However, even if he returns to half of what he was prior to the past two years, he makes this Astros lineup scarier than it already is. According to Thomas Harrigan of MLB.com, Abreu has a lot to prove next year and a rebound could be a possibility for the right-handed slugger.
Harrigan notes that improvements he had down the stretch and during their postseason run. Abreu slashed .295/.354/.591 with four home runs and 13 RBIs in 11 games during the 2023 playoffs.
Despite the rough season for most of the year, he did show at the end he still has something left in the tank. After signing a three-year, $58.5 million deal, he has to produce. If not, he's someone who Houston could look to trade.
There's optimism heading into the 2024 season after what he did in the postseason. At the very least, Astros fans saw he can produce when it matters most.
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