“I Was a Little Lost” as the Astros Return Nears, Jose Abreu Reveals Mistakes That Led Him to the Minor Leagues

Seattle might see a king returning to his throne. Or it might just be witnessing a man showing he still has a lot left in his tank. When The Athletic’s Chandler Rome announced that Jose Abreu was “presumably” joining the Houston Astros before their series against the Seattle Mariners, either one of these scenarios came to mind. However, if one has to believe Abreu, he’s now a rejuvenated man.

The last time we saw Abreu, he was a mere shadow of himself. A player was so lost that one wondered whether we’d ever find him returning from the wilderness. At 37, time already wasn’t on his side, and to fall to such an extent as he did, a return seemed like a rather hopeful outcome. However, the Astros star seems pleased with his minor league stint; his brain is finally where he wants to be. That was visible in his interview with Chandler Rome, where Abreu revealed the mistakes that led to his downfall.

“I was a little lost. But I’m humble enough to recognize that,” Abreu said. Later, he revealed feeling better after his minor league stint. “What I can tell you is that my head is in a good spot right now. When I was going through it, when your head is not in a good spot, you feel like everything is going down,” Jose Abreu said about his bad form. But what was the reason for it? The star revealed that his swinging mechanics had changed.

“I was wrong on my swing. The games sped up on you too much and sometimes it’s tough to see where you’re at. I saw videos and everything but I didn’t see it. But now, (Alex Cintron), Brantly, Bagwell, Rene, we all have a good group and we found it,” Jose Abreu said excitedly. Clearly, this moment meant something to him. The star can finally believe in himself once again.

And now that he’s flying to Seattle on Sunday, one wonders whether he’d be starting immediately or not. After all, while his minor league stint worked, it still hasn’t ended.

Houston Astros looks on as Jose Abreu takes the next step 

The 37-year-old went 7-for-22 in his five rookie-ball games in the Florida Complex League. However, in Abreu’s first game in the Triple-A, Abreu went 0-for-3. As a result, he’s set to serve as the Space Cowboys’ first baseman on Friday and then its designated hitter on Saturday. But while his stint isn’t over, Abreu remains highly optimistic of its impact.

He called this demotion “the best thing” he’s ever gone through in his career. The star liked that it made him “realize” what he’s “made for” and made him understand “who” he is. Perhaps that’s exactly what the Houston Astros wanted. To see their highly-paid star relocate his lost fire and play the role that the team needs to play. But is it going to be enough? That’ll only be found out once Abreu’s back on the squad.