3 Former White Sox Who Failed Miserably With Their New Teams in 2023

The Chicago White Sox had a 2023 season to forget as they finished fourth in the AL Central with a 61-101 record. The last time the White Sox had 100-plus losses in a season was in 2018 (62-100).

Chicago struggled at the plate as a team (.238) despite outfielder Luis Robert having a breakout year. Meanwhile, the pitching wasn’t better in the Windy City, as they had a 4.88 ERA (26th in the majors). 

It was a far cry from the 2022 season, when the White Sox went 81-81 and finished second in the AL Central. Chicago general manager Rick Hahn didn’t do a great job adding talent to this squad in 2023. However, it looked as if he made some good decisions by letting go of multiple veterans who struggled with their new teams.

Here’s a look at three former White Sox who struggled with their new teams in 2023.

1. Jose Abreu, Houston Astros

After spending the first nine years of his career with the White Sox, Abreu joined the Astros last offseason, signing a three-year, $58.5 million contract. The 36-year-old first baseman was a solid addition on paper for a loaded Houston offense featuring Kyle Tucker, Jose Altuve, and Yordan Alvarez.

However, that wasn’t the case this season for Abreu, who slashed a career-low .237/.296/.383 and hit 18 home runs and 90 RBIs. While it was good to see the power numbers increase from 2022 (15 HRs and 75 RBI), Abreu struggled to hit for average with a .276 BAbip and a hard-hit rate of 41.7%.  

The veteran first baseman was one of the better power hitters in the American League for some time. However, he’s only hit 30 home runs once in the past four seasons. Abreu could be due for a bounce back in his second season with the Astros as he plays in a hitter-friendly park, but it’s a wait-and-see. If Abreu has another season where he's batting less than .250, the Astros might need to make a move to upgrade the first base spot.