(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Houston Astros signed first baseman Jose Abreu to replace the departing Yuli Gurriel in the offseason.
The veteran Abreu, a staple on the Chicago White Sox since 2014, didn’t have a very good regular season in an Astros uniform.
He hit .237/.296/.383 with a .680 OPS, the worst rate stats in his long, successful career.
However, the postseason has revitalized him.
He hit .313/.353/.875 with three home runs and a 1.228 OPS in the Division Series against the Minnesota Twins, and he has another long ball and an .800 OPS in the Championship Series vs. the Texas Rangers.
On Thursday, he hit a dinger and stole a base, entering the record books in the process.
“At 36 years & 263 days old, José Abreu is the 2nd-oldest player with a HR & SB in a postseason game, younger than only: 1909 WS G5 Fred Clarke: 37 y, 10 d,” MLB stats expert Sarah Langs tweeted.
at 36 years & 263 days old, José Abreu is the 2nd-oldest player with a HR & SB in a postseason game, younger than only:
1909 WS G5 Fred Clarke: 37 y, 10 d
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 20, 2023
With the White Sox, Abreu played just two postseason series: a Wild Card round in 2020 and a Division Series in 2021.
In just a single season with the Astros, he has already played two playoffs series and could end up suiting up for a third if Houston makes it to the Fall Classic.
Overall, with the two franchises, the slugger has a cool .288/.373/.576 line with five home runs and a .949 OPS in 15 games.
He might be declining, and there is no question about that; but he is making every at-bat count when it matters the most: the postseason.
If he helps the Astros win another World Series, fans will forget his lackluster regular-season numbers this year.
The post Jose Abreu Is Making History This Postseason appeared first on The Cold Wire.