"My teammates see that I haven't done my job" - Astros slugger Jose Abreu reflects on early-season struggles following minor league demotion

On Tuesday, the Houston Astros announced they will send Jose Abreu down to West Palm Beach on Wednesday. This comes after the slugger has struggled mightily to get it going at the plate this season.

Over the course of 22 games, Abreu is slashing .099/.156/.113. He has just six hits on 71 at-bats, which is very concerning for the front office. They hope that by sending him down, he can find himself offensively again.

Abreu would be the first person to tell you he has not done the job he signed up for this year. He spoke to ESPN's Alden Gonzalez about how disappointed he is in himself.

"You know what's been the hardest thing for me? And I say this from the bottom of my heart -- I feel embarrassed" - stated Abreu.

Abreu knew Houston was counting on him after he signed his three-year, $58.5 million deal with them during the 2022 offseason. Now, he has put his club in a tough spot.

"The people in the organziation brought me here to do a good job. I haven't done that. The hard thing, too, is my teammates see that I haven't done my job, although they've always supported me, always been by my side. But I won't stay down" - stated Abreu.

Abreu vows he will figure it out at the plate and return to help his team. It will be interesting to see how the slugger does in the minors and how long he may stay there.

Veteran MLB players cannot be optioned to the minors without their consent. This speaks to how much of a team player Abreu is in recognizing his struggles and looking to work past them.

---

The Astros called up an exciting prospect with Jose Abreu going down

Houston Astros - Jose Abreu (Image via USA Today)

On Tuesday, the Astros announced they had called up Joey Loperfido, the team's No. 6 prospect with Jose Abreu demoted. Loperfido can play first base, but GM Dana Brown stated that he will play the outfield.

The lefty has a sweet swing and has been doing well in the minors. He is hitting .287 with 13 home runs, 27 runs batted in, and five stolen bases. While he will get looks in the outfield, he could solve much of the team's first base problems.

Hopefully, Loperfido can be a sparkplug for a team with a worse record than the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics.