Jose Abreu free agency rumors: White Sox, first baseman talking contract

Tom Gatto

Jose Abreu free agency rumors: White Sox, first baseman talking contract image

The White Sox are working to re-sign free-agent first baseman Jose Abreu, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Friday.

The sides have discussed a long-term deal to keep Abreu in Chicago, according to Passan, who cited unnamed sources.

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Abreu, 32, is coming off a solid offensive season for the White Sox. He slashed .284/.330/.503 with 33 home runs and 36 walks, good for a 119 OPS+ and 117 wRC+. He also led the American League with 123 RBIs and was named to the AL All-Star team.

As important, the Cuba native was considered a mentor to the Sox's young Latino players, in particular Yoan Moncada, Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert.

The White Sox made Abreu a $17.8 million qualifying offer this week; Abreu has until Nov. 14 to accept or reject it. If he accepts the offer, then he will be considered signed for the 2020 season; if he rejects it and then signs with another team, then the White Sox will receive a compensatory draft pick.

Tom Gatto

Tom Gatto Photo

Tom Gatto joined The Sporting News as a senior editor in 2000 after 12 years at The Herald-News in Passaic, N.J., where he served in a variety of roles including sports editor, and a brief spell at APBNews.com in New York, where he worked as a syndication editor. He is a 1986 graduate of the University of South Carolina.