The New York Yankees have had a rough couple of weeks, suffering series losses to the Red Sox, Braves, Orioles, and Mets. Injuries to Giancarlo Stanton and Jasson Dominguez have only compounded their woes. Meanwhile, the Houston Astros, previously written off due to their struggles and personnel issues, have experienced a resurgence that Yankees fans feared.
Central to the Astros’ drama was the underperformance of Jose Abreu. After receiving MVP votes consistently from 2019-2022, Abreu’s performance plummeted upon joining the Astros. In 176 games with Houston, he hit just .217 with a .625 OPS and 74 OPS+. His 2024 season was particularly dismal, batting .124 with a .361 OPS in 35 games, coupled with poor defense.
As a result, the Astros released Abreu two weeks ago, choosing to pay him over $30 million to leave the team. This move initially seemed like another sunk cost, similar to those that have plagued the Yankees in the past. However, since Abreu’s departure, the Astros have surged, making Yankees fans anxious about the potential impact on their own team’s standings. The irony of the situation adds to the Yankees’ current challenges.
