One of the bigger names on the free agent market came off the board yesterday.
The Houston Astros moved swiftly to replace Yuli Gurriel by signing slugger Jose Abreu to a three-year contract.
Abreu spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Chicago White Sox.
He hit .304 with 15 home runs during the regular season and posted a 4.2 WAR.
But another team reportedly had a competitive offer on the table for the veteran first baseman.
The Cleveland Guardians had offered Abreu a three-year contract, according to team insider Paul Hoynes.
Ultimately however, the Guardians lost out in the bidding to the Astros and failed to land the 35-year-old.
Guardians Were In On Abreu
While the Guardians fell short in their pursuit of Abreu, they were at the very least in on the sweepstakes.
With him now off the board, Cleveland will likely turn their focus to some of the other big bats out on the market.
Names such as Trey Mancini and Josh Bell come to mind as potential fits.
But the Guardians appear to be intent on upgrading their roster for 2023 after they fell short in the ALDS against the New York Yankees.
With another bat in their lineup to go next to Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor, the Guardians offense could soar to new heights in 2023.
The team was largely carried by Ramirez, Naylor, Andres Gimenez, and rookie sensation Steven Kwan.
Adding Abreu would have made them the clear favorites in the AL Central.
But adding somebody like Mancini or Bell could help them gain a significant edge over the White Sox.
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