Jose Abreu "wants to be a part" of Houston Astros culture as his new team eyes World Series repeat 

By signing former MVP Award winner Jose Abreu, the Houston Astros made it clear that they had no intent of taking their foot off the gas after winning the World Series last year.

Abreu, who just turned 36, has spent the last 9 seasons as the first baseman for the Chicago White Sox. Since breaking into the league in 2014, he has attached 243 home runs and 863 to his name.

Now on the cusp of the new season, Abreu has made it clear why he decided to depart his team of nearly a decade and sign with one of the best clubs in modern baseball.

Jeffrey Rogers of ESPN caught up with the new Houston Astros hire at his team's spring training facility in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Cuban defector signed a 3-year deal worth $58.5 million with the Astros earlier this month.

"Florida tour continues with a new first baseman for the world champs. Here’s Yordan Alvarez on a first day interaction with Jose Abreu: “One of the conversations that we’ve had is he wants to win a championship. I told him he made the right choice.” - @ Jesse Rogers

When asked by Rogers why he decided to pursue a deal with the Astros, his answer was simple. He said:

"In the last six years, I think the Houston Astros have created a great culture, great family here and I want to be part of that. And also, most importantly, I want to win."

The Astros have indeed made it to the Fall Classic in four of the last six seasons, successfully winning the championship twice. He will join fellow Cuban Yordan Alvarez, who finished third overall in the AL MVP voting last season.

"Jose Abreu, who doesn’t have to be here until Tuesday, already getting some work in." - @ Mark Berman

After hitting 36 home runs and 107 RBIs for the Chicago White Sox in his freshman season, the player was named the AL Rookie of the Year in 2014. In the shortened season of 2022, he hit 60 RBIs in 60 games with a league-best 76 hits to win the MVP AWard in the shortened season of 2020.

Jose Abreu was the right man at the right time for the Astros

Many expected another one of Abreu's countrymen, Yuli Gurriel, to man first base in 2023. However, Gurriel entered free agency after the World Series, creating a perfect slot for Jose Abreu to fill.

He is now on a team that stands a serious chance of winning back-to-back World Series, which would make them the first team to do so since the New York Yankees in 2000.