José Abreu gave Gavin Sheets an unlimited hug sooner than beginning batting comply with Thursday afternoon at Minute Maid Park.
A few minutes later, Eloy Jiménez and Yasmani Grandal watched from behind the cage as Abreu took a few swings. A few minutes after the session accomplished, Abreu obtained a hug from Lance Lynn near the Houston Astros dugout.
Abreu cherished the reunion alongside together with his former teammates sooner than making his debut with the Astros in opposition to the Chicago White Sox. Abreu went 1-for-4 in a 3-2 loss to the Sox.
“The blokes over there I respect they usually deal with me with respect as effectively,” Abreu talked about by an interpreter sooner than Thursday’s sport. “The solely issue I can hope for is that they’re healthful all season.
“Simply because I’m in a unique uniform throughout the sector doesn’t imply I’m not going to have respect for them. A variety of these guys are mates of mine. Some I didn’t get to know as effectively. However the respect remains to be there.”
Abreu, who ranks throughout the excessive 10 on the Sox all-time guidelines in quite a lot of offensive courses and was voted the American League Most Beneficial Participant in 2020, began a model new chapter of his occupation Thursday. After 9 seasons with the Sox, Abreu signed a three-year address the Astros throughout the offseason.
“I’m very grateful for the 9 years I spent over there within the group, grateful for all of the individuals I met over there alongside the best way,” Abreu talked about. “However that’s part of life and part of (God’s) plans and God is conscious of what he does.
“I’m prepared for that problem. God is aware of why he does what he does and he put me in the present day right here towards the White Sox, he will need to have a plan.”
Sox widespread supervisor Rick Hahn on Wednesday talked about of seeing Abreu in a single different uniform: “It’s like seeing Jordan in a Wizards uniform.”
“It’s going to look bizarre,” Hahn talked about. “After possibly the first pitch or the first AB when he’s up there, it’ll possibly settle in to further normalcy. However initially certain, it’s undoubtedly going to be weird.
“He performed an enormous half within the final 9 years of White Sox historical past and he actually will all the time be remembered as one of many finer White Sox in our lengthy historical past.”
Abreu had an unlimited smile on his face and yelled “Ooof” when he heard Jordan’s title.
“I’m going to be trustworthy with you that could be a massive comparability, Jordan is Jordan,” Abreu talked about. “I’ve the utmost respect, however I’m coming into a brand new stage of my life and new stage of my profession.”
His former teammates have been wishing Abreu success — to a level.
“He taught me lots,” Sox shortstop Tim Anderson talked about Wednesday. “I’m going to be excited to play towards him. Hopefully he has an amazing season, however not towards us.”
Abreu had been accustomed to having fun with at first base whereas the likes of Lynn, Dylan Stop and Lucas Giolito pitched. Now he’ll be throughout the discipline going by them.
“It’s simply a part of the sport,” Abreu talked about. “All through the years you’re going to wish to face lots of people that you’re mates with. The one factor I can say is clearly better of luck to them and I simply need all of them to be wholesome.”
Abreu, 36, doesn’t enter the season feeling he has one thing to point out to the Sox after signing the multiyear deal.
“I don’t have any resentment towards anyone there,” he talked about. “I feel the one those who I have to show to that I can nonetheless do it’s my spouse and my mom, and I feel they’re with me that I nonetheless have a pair good years left.”
Abreu appeared once more warmly on his time with the Sox and appeared ahead to the next drawback.
“I’ve all the time stated I’m very grateful with all the pieces that’s occurred that I used to be with the White Sox,” Abreu talked about. “They gave me the prospect to be a severe leaguer and to make my family utterly comfortable.
“Now we’re on the different aspect, and so I’m making an attempt to benefit from the recreation as a lot as doable and let the perfect group win.”
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