MLB Ratings –
Jose Abreu spoke Friday about the difficult decision to accept his demotion from the Astros to the minor leagues last month, which he called the best thing he’s done in his career, before making his return to the Astros on Monday.
Jose Abreu on minor league demotion: “Best thing I’ve ever experienced in my career.”
Jose Abreu made his return to the Houston Astros on Monday, playing first base and hitting eighth for the Stros in their game against the Seattle Mariners. Abreu went 1 for 3 with an RBI. Abreu spent the last month in the minors after starting his season with the Astros 7 in ’71.
Abreu spoke with The Athletic’s Chandler Rome on Friday in his first public speaking session since accepting the demotion in late April. Abreu called the decision to accept the demotion “difficult” at first, but said Friday it was “the best thing (he) has ever experienced” in his career.
“It made me realize what I was made for,” Abreu said Saturday through interpreter Luis Contreras. “Experiencing this made me realize who I am.”
Abreu told Rome that his struggles during the first month of the season with Houston were so bad that he felt like he had forgotten how to hit. But after a month in the minors, a mental reset Abreu feels he needs, he says he’s in the right place mentally.
“What I can tell you is that my head is in a good place right now. When I was going through that, when your head is not in the right place, you feel like everything is falling apart,” Abreu said. “There was a moment, and I tell you from the bottom of my heart, I didn’t even know how to hit, how to field.
“I was a little lost. But I’m humble enough to recognize it and I tell you that I’m trying to be the best José Abreu I can be and the one you know.
Abreu said he watched every Astros game while he was in the minors. Houston was 14-9 in those games, a stark turnaround for the Astros after opening the season 10-20.
“Every game. I haven’t (missed) any matches. It was a little difficult watching them from home, but today they are on a good streak,” Abreu said. “They play good ball. They have the talent; it was a matter of time before they put the pieces together and started winning games.
Angel Hernandez decides to quit; Does he deserve his reputation as a villain?
Veteran MLB umpire Angel Hernandez called it quits. According to The Athletic, Major League Baseball approached Hernandez earlier this season about the possibility of retiring. Hernandez refused at the time, but calls for Hernandez to step away from the game have only gotten louder since. Hernández had been absent since May 9 as the two sides worked on a financial agreement.
Hernandez’s attorney, Kevin Murphy, told The Athletic that Hernandez was not forced out by Major League Baseball. However, given the events of the weeks leading up to his immediate retirement, it appears he was in fact forced out.
Hernandez has called MLB games since 1991, but has become public enemy No. 1 when it comes to fans’ prospects of umpiring in Major League Baseball. Hernandez is infamous for his wide and inconsistent strike zone, his penance for ejections and his 2017 discrimination lawsuit against MLB.
MLB released a statement from Hernandez on his retirement last night:
“Since my first Major League game in 1991, I have had the great experience of living my childhood dream of umpiring in the major leagues,” the statement read. “There is nothing better than doing a job you love. I cherished the camaraderie of my colleagues and the friendships I made along the way, including our locker room attendants in all the different cities.
“I decided I wanted to spend more time with my family. Needless to say, there have been many positive changes in baseball since I entered the profession. This includes the expansion and promotion of minorities. I am proud to have been able to actively participate in this goal while being a Major League umpire.
The Athletic’s Sam Blum and Cody Stavenhagen discussed Hernandez’s legacy and asked the question: Does he deserve the bad reputation that follows him into retirement?
Shohei Ohtani throws 60 feet; Hopes to return to pitching in 2025
Eight months after Tommy John surgery, Shohei Ohtani now throws a baseball 60 feet, with pitches reaching speeds of 80 miles per hour. He is not expected to play in games until 2025, but he shared an update on his recovery on Monday.
“Usually there’s between 60 and 70 pitches, that distance,” Ohtani said through an interpreter before Monday’s game against the New York Mets. “I just keep increasing the distance and the throws, and just see where it goes. I don’t really know how far I’m going to go, but that’s progression.
Ohtani underwent his second Tommy John surgery in September while playing for the Los Angeles Angels. Despite the surgery, he continued to perform well at the plate, leading the majors in batting average (.336). He also leads the National League in slugging percentage (.621) and OPS (1.024) and leads the Dodgers in home runs (13) and stolen bases (13).
Ohtani, who has been the designated hitter in 53 of Los Angeles’ 55 games, is currently dealing with a hamstring contusion from a putout pitch last week. Despite this, he has not missed a game since May 12, but manager Dave Roberts advised him to be “smart” about his injury.
Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers this offseason. The two-way star, who won the American League MVP award in 2021 and 2023, is known for his pitching abilities. Over the past three seasons, he posted a 2.84 ERA in 72 starts and accumulated 542 strikeouts in 428 1/3 innings pitched.
