On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The 2024 season got off to an abysmal start fo Houston Astros first baseman Jose Abreu. His struggles at the plate were a contributing factor to the team being in the position that they currently are.
The Houston Astros are 24-32, 6.5 games behind the Seattle Mariners for first place in the AL West. They are even further behind in the Wild Card race in the American League, trailing the Minnesota Twins by seven games.
There are currently five teams between the Astros and Twins in the standings. If Houston doesn’t pick things up soon, they could become major sellers at the deadline. Jose Abreu is hoping that he can help turn that around.
Abreu returned to the Houston Astros this week after a month away from the team. He opened the season with a slash line of .099 through 22 games, hitting only one home run. His bWAR was -1.5, which prompted the team to demote him.
Alas, Jose Abreu didn’t report to the minor leagues. Instead, he was at the team’s Spring Training facility in West Palm Beach, Florida. There he worked with Jeff Bagwell and former teammate Michael Brantley.
Before getting in the lineup on May 27th against the Seattle Mariners, Jose Abreu opened up about his experience. He spoke about how he felt before the demotion and the struggles he was dealing with that he hopes are now behind him.
“I was a little lost. But I’m humble enough to recognize that and I’m telling you I’m trying to be the best José Abreu I can be and the one you guys know,” he told reporters through his interpreter, Luis Contreras.
“What I can tell you is my head is in a good spot right now,” he continued. “When I was going through it, when your head is not in a good spot, you feel like everything is going down. There was a point, and I’m telling you from the bottom of my heart, I couldn’t even know how to hit, how to field.”
It sounds like getting back to basics and resetting has done Jose Abreu some good. Last week, Houston Astros manager Joe Espada provided a positive update on the former MVP, as he said Abreu looked good in the videos he saw.
“I was wrong on my swing. The games sped up on you too much and sometimes it’s tough to see where you’re at. I saw videos and everything, but I didn’t see it. But now, [hitting coach Alex Cintrón], Brantley, Bagwell, [assistant hitting coordinator Rene Rojas], we all have a good group and we found it. I hope I can show it right away, but it’s baseball and it’s a process. Hopefully I can get there.” (H/T Heavy)
The Houston Astros certainly hope so, too. Alas, Jose Abreu is far from their only issue. While his struggles were most prominent, there are several players currently underperforming. If that doesn’t change soon, their objectives for the 2024 season will need to be adjusted.
More must-reads:
- Yankees manager provides major update on Aaron Judge's injury
- New suitor emerges for Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez
- The 'MLB mascot names' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
A.J. Hinch Sends Clear Message in Midst of Tumultuous Tigers Stretch
What is going on with the Detroit Tigers right now? That's what the entire baseball world is wondering as the team that had been dominant throughout the first part of the season has crumbled in front of everyone's eyes. After being the first to win 60 games, they are stuck on that number, while three teams have surpassed them and four others have joined them at that mark. More News: Former Tigers All-Star Pitcher Gets Traded in Early Deadline Deal Entering Saturday's contest against the red-hot Toronto Blue Jays, the Tigers have lost 11 out of their last 12 games, showcasing an inability to score runs and prevent them that had not been on display during the first half. It's easy to understand why there might be panic about Detroit. Despite their incredible run during the back stretch of last season that took them one win away from reaching the ALCS, not many people expected this team to do much in 2025, pointing to their middling roster that was full of young and unproven talent. Before the All-Star break, not much went wrong even with all the injuries they suffered. But it's been a different story since then. More News: Tigers Could Have Fewer Options To Address Bullpen Needs Than Rivals Thankfully, the Tigers have a veteran manager in their dugout, and he is the right man to steer them out of this funk. "I've never been on a team that hasn't gone through a little bit of something at some point. There is no easy 162-game schedule," he said to reporters, including Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press. How does he aim to get his team back on track? By being steady and not reacting one way or another to what has happened. "A steady approach works. It's not always easy. It's not always the most popular because you want this massive reaction one way or the other. We've got to play the game that's in front of us today," Hinch added. "... The steadiness is what these guys are looking for." Detroit's Major League roster has had to grow up quickly. Still in the midst of a prolonged rebuild, all of a sudden they were thrust into the spotlight with their late-season run in 2024 that carried over into the first part of this year. It's uncharted territory for many in organization, and that includes the decision makers at the top. More News: Tigers Land Two Major Upgrades From Diamondbacks in This Trade Idea Hinch doesn't fall into that category, though. He's been there before, previously leading an unproven group on an unproven franchise to sustained success. "I've managed 100-plus win teams that have gone through six- and seven- and eight-game losing streaks, or lost 12 of 13. You don't think of that because we forget over time. There's going to be a time that we all forget about this. It's just not right now when you're going through it. You feel like you're getting suffocated day by day where the first thing that goes wrong brings back the thoughts of previous games. Welcome to sports. It's an emotional ride. Those that stay steady will survive," Hinch stated. The Tigers are looking to do exactly that, and if they can come out of this on the other side, then they should be much better for it. For more Tigers news, head over to Tigers On SI.
Lakers Pegged as Landing Spot for Ex-Celtics Guard Named Top Free Agency 'Steal'
The Los Angeles Lakers are working on building a contender around last season's blockbuster addition of Luka Doncic, and could have their eyes on a player named the biggest "steal" of free agency. James Herbert of CBS Sports noted that former Boston Celtics star Malcolm Brogdon is still looking for his next NBA home and could be a bargain for a team that lands him. "After a couple of years in Portland and Washington, it feels like it's time for the veteran guard to get back on a winning team," Herbert wrote. "If healthy, he could be a real bargain for a contender -- it was only two years ago that he won Sixth Man of the Year in Boston." Bleacher Report's Timothy Rapp named the Lakers as a team to watch for Brogdon, who has shared his admiration for Lakers star LeBron James in the past. Speaking to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, the former NBA Rookie of the Year said he believes James is the greatest of all time and disagrees with those who use his longevity as an argument against him. “At 40, I think that LeBron is playing at a higher level, but I think medicine and I think science has come a long way,” Brogdon said. “But I think also longevity has to be counted for LeBron. He’s the first player in this game to have longevity that is counted against him, you know? It’s one of his downfalls.” Brodgon was a solid contributor for the Washington Wizards last season, scoring 12.7 points with 3.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
Aaron Rodgers responds to criticism from Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw
The Pittsburgh Steelers' signing of quarterback Aaron Rodgers was an immediately polarizing move that did not sit well with large portions of the fan base. It also did not sit well with one of the team's all-time greatest players, four-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Terry Bradshaw. Bradshaw initially referred to the signing of Rodgers as a "joke" and that he should "stay in California and go chew bark" in reference to Rodgers isolating himself in a darkness retreat last year. On Saturday, Rodgers finally had a chance to respond to Bradshaw and did so with a combination of taking the high road, and also trying to make light of it. “I whisper to the gods every single day. I’ve known Terry for a long time, being a part of Fox. Terry’s a legend. He’s an absolute legend. He won four Super Bowls. He’s had a legendary career in the media. But Terry, like a lot of people, doesn’t know me. And so, he’s got an idea of what he thinks about me based on what I’ve done, the documentary, what I’ve said, darkness retreat, whatever the hell you want to talk about. I’d love to get to know Terry on a deeper level. I feel like if he gave me a chance to get to know him, then we’d have a good friendship." He ended the answer by saying, "So, I’d love to get to know Terry on a deeper level if he’s open to it. And maybe we can go chew some bark or whatever the hell he’s talking about together.” The Steelers were in a pretty desperate quarterback situation this offseason after completely overhauling the position for a second year in a row. They missed out on the chance to re-sign Justin Fields, let Russell Wilson walk, missed out on every other veteran who changed teams and passed on the opportunity to select a quarterback near the top of a weak quarterback draft class. (They ultimately selected Ohio State's Will Howard in the sixth round.) The whole Rodgers saga has been quite a soap opera for the Steelers as they waited around for months while he decided on whether or not he wanted to play this season, and if he wanted to play for the Steelers. Add in the fact he has had a tendency to cause some off-field distractions with his comments and weekly "Pat McAfee Show" appearances, as well as the fact he will turn 42 years old this season and hasn't been a top-tier quarterback in three years, and a lot of Steelers fans — and former players — were put off by the idea. The only thing that will matter in the end, however, is how Rodgers plays on the field. He has said all of the right things since joining the team, and his new teammates have all spoken highly of him so far, but it will still come down to results on the field. The Steelers have not won a playoff game in eight years and are facing added pressure each year to end that drought. They are hoping Rodgers has one more good year in him to help them advance in the postseason.
Hurricanes take care of business, sign star winger to lucrative eight-year extension
The Hurricanes announced Thursday night that they’ve signed winger Jackson Blake to an eight-year, $45M extension that will kick in for the 2026-27. While that would normally mean an average annual value and cap hit of $5.625M, the actual cap hit of the contract will fall in the $5.1M range due to deferred compensation, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. The contract buys out the extent of Blake’s RFA eligibility and will make him a UFA following the 2033-34 season. Blake’s stock has been on the rise since immediately after Carolina selected him in the fourth round in 2021. He was a USHL All-Star in his post-draft season with the Chicago Steel before making the jump to NCAA hockey with North Dakota, where he totaled 102 points in 79 games in two seasons — earning a Hobey Baker finalist nod in his sophomore year. He signed his entry-level contract with the Hurricanes in April 2024 and joined them for the brief remainder of the regular season. In his first full pro season, Blake hit the ground running. He made the Canes out of camp and had five points through his first nine games despite seeing less than 12 minutes of ice time per night. That offense didn’t quite hold up the rest of the way, though. While he ended up seeing significant deployment alongside Sebastian Aho at even strength, he ended up finishing the year with a 17-17–34 scoring line in 80 games, finishing ninth on the team in scoring and ninth in Calder Trophy voting as the league’s Rookie of the Year. That’s fine production, especially considering he averaged under 14 minutes per game on the year. He’ll need to build on it to justify that cap hit, though, especially with so much risk attached to a max-term deal. The good news is that Blake has another year left on his entry-level contract to continue his development before he’ll need to start justifying that cap hit. The son of former NHLer Jason Blake turns 22 next month, yet with this deal, he’s guaranteed to surpass his dad’s career earnings. The Hurricanes have historically opted to sign their young players for as long and as early as possible, a trend that continues here. Sometimes, it’s paid off — their eight-year, $59.4M commitment to Seth Jarvis last offseason looks like a steal after he put up a repeat 67-point performance in 2024-25. There’s also the glaring example of where that strategy has failed regarding center Jesperi Kotkaniemi, whose $4.82M cap hit looks more stomachable now with a rising ceiling but is still well above his market value four years into the deal. The jury is still out on newly acquired Logan Stankoven, who they inked to an eight-year, $48M extension at the beginning of the month. Blake’s deal will be one of the last of its kind. It contains two elements — deferred compensation and an eight-year term — that will be outlawed when the new CBA Memorandum of Understanding takes effect on Sep. 15, 2026. If he waited until reaching RFA status next summer to sign, a lengthy negotiation could have lost him that eighth year if the two sides didn’t come to terms until the beginning of training camp. With the salary cap’s upper limit projected to reach $104M in 2026-27, the Hurricanes have around $16M in projected space with Blake’s and Stankoven’s deals taken care of. While they’re projected to be Carolina’s 11th- and 12th-highest-paid forwards on their opening night roster this season, they’ll be their fifth- and sixth-highest-paid forwards in 2026-27.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
