Astros make decision on struggling first baseman

The Astros are finally giving up on struggling first baseman Jose Abreu.

Houston confirmed Friday that it is releasing Abreu. The move means they will simply take the hit on the remaining money on his contract, which is over $30 million.

Abreu was a flashy free agent addition before the 2023 season, with the team signing him to a three-year, $58.5 million deal. It would be an understatement to say they have not gotten their money’s worth. Abreu hit just .237 with 18 home runs for the Astros in 2023 and was so bad in 2024 that he was shipped to the minors for a period after starting the season 7-for-71.

Things have not improved since he was brought back, and he departs Houston with a .124 average and two home runs in 2024. The performance was poor enough that Houston opted to absorb the rest of the money owed him, even though they were not halfway through the deal's life.

Abreu may land somewhere else, especially with the Astros on the hook for the rest of the money he was owed through 2025. However, the 37-year-old has looked largely finished at the plate for over a year now, and it does not seem likely that a change of scenery will help much.