JOSE ABREU

FOX Sports' Ben Verlander tiers over two dozen first basemen to begin his series highlighting the best MLB players at every position.

The United States will permit Major League Baseball players from Cuba to represent their home country in the World Baseball Classic next year.

José Abreu has spent his entire nine-year MLB career with the Chicago White Sox, but Astros owner Jim Crane isn’t worried about how the newly signed first baseman will fit in with his teammates in Houston.

José Abreu and the World Series champion Astros have agreed to a three-year contract, adding another powerful bat to Houston’s lineup.

The rich are getting richer. The Houston Astros are signing former AL MVP first baseman Jose Abreu to a roster fresh off a World Series win, according to multiple reports. The three-time All-Star has previously played his entire nine-year MLB career with the Chicago White Sox.

Jacob deGrom, starting pitcher (35)*Justin Verlander, starting pitcher (40)*Those AAV records aren’t just a bar to watch in the Judge bidding. Chris Bassitt, starting pitcher (34)*Nathan Eovaldi, starting pitcher (33)The starting pitching star power drops off pretty quickly in this winter's options. Kodai Senga, starting pitcher (30)Here’s your best source of intrigue on the pitching front if your team isn’t going after deGrom or Verlander. Ross Stripling, starting pitcher (33)Taijuan Walker, starting pitcher (30)*Jameson Taillon, starting pitcher (31)We’re thoroughly in the muddy waters of No. Martin Perez, starting pitcher (32)Zach Eflin, starting pitcher (29)Jose Quintana, starting pitcher (34)Michael Wacha, starting pitcher (31)In one manner or another, each of these pitchers found something in 2022.

The rest of MLB's clubs are looking back at what went wrong. We've provided the preseason playoff odds from FanGraphs as a baseline of what realistic expectations looked like in early April, but the order is subjective. Chicago White SoxPreseason playoff odds: 72.9%What went wrong? Boston Red SoxPreseason playoff odds: 63.1%What went wrong? Well, pretty much the entire conception of how to build a baseball team in 2022.

Left fielder Robbie Grossman dropped Luis Robert’s short fly with two outs in the eighth to end his record errorless streak at 440 games and set up two unearned Chicago runs that snapped a tie, lifting the White Sox to a 4-2 win over the Detroit Tigers.

American League powerhouses square off when Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees host Yordan Álvarez and the Houston Astros in the opener of a highly anticipated four-game series Thursday night.

Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 26th and 27th home runs, Jose Trevino delivered a two-run shot that put New York ahead in the eighth inning and the Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4.

Mike Trout homered, doubled and scored three runs, Michael Lorenzen pitched into the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Angels held off the Chicago White Sox 6-5 for their seventh win in eight games.

Taylor Ward and Shohei Ohtani hit first-inning solo home runs off Lucas Giolito and the Los Angeles Angels rode a combined three-hitter to their sixth straight win, 5-1 over the Chicago White Sox.

Tim Anderson swung right back into action after serving a suspension stemming from an incident last season, hitting two doubles and a single as the Chicago White Sox routed the Detroit Tigers 10-1.

Alex Cobb pitched five scoreless innings, Luis Rengifo and Jose Rojas hit home runs, and the Los Angeles Angels coasted to a 9-3 win over the Chicago White Sox.

Joey Gallo hit a two-run shot in the 10th inning for his second homer of the game, and the New York Yankees outlasted the Chicago White Sox 7-5 in another back-and-forth thriller.

Astros White Sox Baseball Chicago White Sox's Jose Abreu, right, celebrates with third base coach Joe McEwing after hitting a three-run home run during the sixth inning of the team's baseball game against the Houston Astros in Chicago, Saturday, July 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (Nam Y. Huh)CHICAGO — (AP) — Lucas Giolito pitched a three-hitter, José Abreu launched a three-run homer and the Chicago White Sox beat the Houston Astros 10-1 on Saturday night. STAYING ON THE SOUTH SIDEThe White Sox and All-Star right-hander Lance Lynn agreed to a $38 million, two-year contract extension. The White Sox have an $18 million option for 2024 with a $1 million buyout. White Sox: Manager Tony La Russa said RHP Evan Marshall (strained right elbow) has resumed throwing the ball, but not off the mound or in the bullpen.

Lucas Giolito pitched a three-hitter, José Abreu launched a three-run homer and the Chicago White Sox beat the Houston Astros 10-1.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the bashing Toronto Blue Jays try to keep up their power surge at Fenway Park.

Royals White Sox Baseball Chicago White Sox's Jose Abreu, left, and Kansas City Royals' Hunter Dozier lay near each other after colliding along the first base line in the second inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader Friday, May 14, 2021, in Chicago. The White Sox took a 1-0 lead in the first on Abreu’s flyball. ROSTER MOVESKansas City recalled RHP Jake Newberry from Triple-A Omaha and optioned LHP Daniel Lynch and C Sebastian Rivero to the farm club. The White Sox recalled RHP Alex McRae from Triple-A Charlotte and the Royals recalled RHP Ronald Bolaños from Triple-A Omaha to serve as their 27th men for the doubleheader. UP NEXTKansas City RHP Jakob Junis (1-2, 5.14) faced Chicago RHP Michael Kopech (2-9, 1.61) in the second game of the doubleheader.

Rookie Andrew Vaughn, starting the nightcap at first base after AL MVP Jose Abreu was injured in a frightening collision in the first game, homered to send the Chicago White Sox over the Kansas City Royals 3-1 for a doubleheader split.

Royals White Sox Baseball Chicago White Sox's Jose Abreu, left, and Kansas City Royals' Hunter Dozier lay near each other after colliding along the first base line in the second inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader Friday, May 14, 2021, in Chicago. Shortly after both players left the game, the White Sox announced Abreu had suffered a facial contusion and laceration. After popping up in the second inning, Dozier jogged out of the batter’s box with his head down. Abreu was running along the first base line while tracking the ball. Abreu and Dozier dropped to the ground and were attended to by the medical staff.

Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu and Kansas City third baseman Hunter Dozier were injured after colliding hard on the first base line in the opener of a doubleheader Friday.

White Sox Reds Baseball Chicago White Sox Dylan Cease hits for a single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, May 4, 2021 in Cincinnati. It was a historic night with the bat for Cease, who doubled and singled twice before getting pulled for a pinch-hitter. After the first pitch was delayed more than an hour by rain, the White Sox roughed up Jeff Hoffman (2-2) for three runs in the first. Abreu had a pair of hits and three RBIs as the White Sox for the eighth time in 11 games. NO PANICDespite losing Jimenez and Robert to injury, the White Sox are remaining positive, and on Tuesday night it showed.

White Sox Reds Baseball Chicago White Sox Dylan Cease hits for a single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, May 4, 2021 in Cincinnati. He is the first White Sox pitcher with three hits in a game since Tom Bradley on May 14, 1972, against Baltimore, a year before the designated hitter came into play. After the first pitch was delayed more than an hour by rain, the White Sox roughed up Jeff Hoffman (2-2) for three runs in the first. Abreu had a pair of hits and three RBIs as the White Sox for the eighth time in 11 games. Gray is 4-0 with a 3.55 ERA in four career starts against the White Sox.

Dylan Cease pitched one-hit ball for six innings, struck out 11 and amazingly got three hits in his first pro plate appearances as the Chicago White Sox routed the Cincinnati Reds 9-0.

Chicago White Sox general manager Rick Hahn adjusts his face covering as he watches players during baseball spring training Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in Phoenix. When he walks in the door, it’s going to be a huge moment for the 2021 White Sox. The guys can’t wait to see him, and he can’t wait to see them.”AdAbreu helped the White Sox return to the playoffs for the first time since 2008. In the first batch of results disclosed by the league last Friday, 13 positive tests were found among 4,336 samples. It will be the first time since last spring training that they played in front of fans.

Freeman easily won the NL MVP award Thursday, Nov. 12, topping off a trying year that saw him become so ill with COVID-19 he prayed please dont take me. Betts was bidding to join Frank Robinson as the only players to win the MVP award in both leagues. Cleveland third baseman José Ramírez finished second in the AL MVP voting and Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu was third. He became the fourth different White Sox player to win the AL MVP, joining Frank Thomas (1993-94), Dick Allen (1972) and Nellie Fox (1959). A three-time AL MVP, Trout had finished in the top four every season since he was AL Rookie of the Year in 2012.

If St. Louis loses and San Francisco wins, the Cardinals would make up two games against Detroit on Monday that were postponed this season due to St. Louis' coronavirus outbreak. Brewers (29-30) — Qualify with a victory over St. Louis, or with losses by the Giants and Phillies. If the Giants and Cardinals win, San Francisco needs St. Louis to lose both games against the Tigers on Monday. A career .279 hitter, he had 244 home runs and 942 RBIs for Houston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Texas. “He had a tremendous career, did a ton for the community in San Francisco and obviously for the San Francisco Giants,” Kapler said.

Chicago White Sox's Jose Abreu (79) and Eloy Jimenez celebrate the team's 4-3 win over the Minnesota Twins in baseball game Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, in Chicago. The White Sox clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)CHICAGO – After clinching a postseason berth for the first time since 2008, the Chicago White Sox were low key during their on-field celebration. The White Sox assured themselves of no worse than a wild-card berth. White Sox: RHP Jonathan Stiever (0-0, 2.45 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series Friday night at Cincinnati.