Houston Astros Former MVP Is Showing Growth In New Role

This Houston Astro went down to the minor leagues and is finally showing some signs of improvement.

Mar 30, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros first baseman Jose Abreu (79) in the dugout prior to the game against the New York Yankees at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports / Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

One of the biggest early season storylines for the Houston Astros was the play of a former MVP winner being way below par.

Jose Abreu started the season slashing just .099/.156/.113. It was a poor enough start that Houston optioned him to West Palm Beach for the chance to find his swing.

For the first few weeks, Abreu was sticking to just batting practice. He's finally started to play in games and is starting to see results. His best game yet came on Tuesday as he went 3-for-4 at the plate, per Brian McTaggart.

Before he sees MLB play again, the next step will be a stint in AAA. The biggest question, though, is do the Astros even need him?

Jon Singleton has taken over duties at first base and is playing at a career-best level. His OPS is up to .721 after he hit his fifth home run of the season on Tuesday night.

Singleton has had an interesting career that has faced multiple setbacks from suspensions due to weed. It has been a good story to see him finally performing at a good level, but you still probably don't want to go into the playoffs with him as your main option at first base.

Joey Loperfido has played a lot of outfield, but he does have a history at first base and could play the position if he needed to. His bat has been good to start his career, slashing .333/.381/.436. He's been such a good defender, though, that it would be hard to move him out of the outfield.

Could Houston probably survive without bringing Abreu back up to the majors? Probably. Should they still look to bring him back when he's ready? Absolutely.

They do not need to rush him back quickly at all, but they should let him get some swings in at AAA to really figure out when to bring him up.