Astros Demote Former AL MVP to Minor Leagues After Protracted Slump to Start Season

The veteran slugger entered Tuesday hitting .099.

Apr 5, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros first base Jose Abreu (79) reacts to striking out. / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

It would be hard to script a worse start to a season than José Abreu's first 22 games of 2024.

A year after a solid-if-not-spectacular first season with the Houston Astros, Abreu is slashing .099/.156/.113 with no home runs and three RBI in 22 games. The Astros are struggling as well, with a record of 9-19 relegating them to the American League West's basement.

On Tuesday, Houston took a drastic step. According to general manager Dana Brown, the Astros and Abreu have agreed on a demotion to the FCL Astros of the Florida Complex League in West Palm Beach, Fla. "to get (Abreu) some at-bats and his timing back right."

José Abreu is not with the Astros, GM Dana Brown said. Both sides decided that Abreu will be optioned to West Palm Beach effective tomorrow “to get some at-bats and his timing back right.”

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) April 30, 2024

Abreu, 37, has been a consistent performer since debuting for the Chicago White Sox in 2014. He finished fourth in the AL MVP voting after a sensational rookie season, and was named the AL's MVP following the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Houston signed Abreu to a three-year, $59 million contract in Nov. 2022. The Astros open a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians Tuesday in Texas.