José Abreu gave Gavin Sheets an enormous hug earlier than starting batting follow Thursday afternoon at Minute Maid Park.
A couple of minutes later, Eloy Jiménez and Yasmani Grandal watched from behind the cage as Abreu took a couple of swings. A couple of minutes after the session completed, Abreu obtained a hug from Lance Lynn close to the Houston Astros dugout.
Abreu loved the reunion along with his former teammates earlier 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 guys over there I respect and they treat me with respect as well,” Abreu mentioned by an interpreter earlier than Thursday’s sport. “The solely factor I can hope for is they’re wholesome all season.
“Just because I am in a different uniform across the field doesn’t mean I’m not going to have respect for them. A lot of those guys are friends of mine. Some I didn’t get to know as well. But the respect is still there.”
Abreu, who ranks within the high 10 on the Sox all-time checklist in a number of offensive classes and was voted the American League Most Valuable Player in 2020, started a brand new chapter of his profession Thursday. After 9 seasons with the Sox, Abreu signed a three-year cope with the Astros within the offseason.
“I am very grateful for the nine years I spent over there in the organization, grateful for all the people I met over there along the way,” Abreu mentioned. “But that’s a part of life and a part of (God’s) plans and God is aware of what he does.
“I’m ready for that challenge. God knows why he does what he does and he put me today here against the White Sox, he must have a plan.”
Sox common supervisor Rick Hahn on Wednesday mentioned of seeing Abreu in one other uniform: “It’s like seeing Jordan in a Wizards uniform.”
“It’s going to look weird,” Hahn mentioned. “After in all probability the primary pitch or the primary AB when he’s up there, it’ll in all probability settle in to extra normalcy. But initially sure, it’s undoubtedly going to be bizarre.
“He played a huge part in the last nine years of White Sox history and he certainly will always be remembered as one of the finer White Sox in our long history.”
Abreu had an enormous smile on his face and yelled “Ooof” when he heard Jordan’s title.
“I’m going to be honest with you that is a big comparison, Jordan is Jordan,” Abreu mentioned. “I have the utmost respect, but I’m entering a new stage of my life and new stage of my career.”
His former teammates have been wishing Abreu success — to a degree.
“He taught me a lot,” Sox shortstop Tim Anderson mentioned Wednesday. “I’m going to be excited to play against him. Hopefully he has a great season, but not against us.”
Abreu had been accustomed to enjoying at first base whereas the likes of Lynn, Dylan Cease and Lucas Giolito pitched. Now he’ll be within the field going through them.
“It’s just part of the game,” Abreu mentioned. “Throughout the years you’re going to need to face a lot of people that you are friends with. The only thing I can say is obviously best of luck to them and I just want them all to be healthy.”
Abreu, 36, doesn’t enter the season feeling he has something to show to the Sox after signing the multiyear deal.
“I don’t have any resentment toward anybody there,” he mentioned. “I think the only people that I need to prove to that I can still do it is my wife and my mother, and I think they are with me that I still have a couple good years left.”
Abreu seemed again warmly on his time with the Sox and seemed forward to the following problem.
“I’ve always said I’m very grateful with everything that’s happened that I was with the White Sox,” Abreu mentioned. “They gave me the chance to be a serious leaguer and to make my household completely happy.
“Now we’re at the other side, and so I’m trying to enjoy the game as much as possible and let the best team win.”
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