Will Yuli Gurriel's departure hurt the Houston Astros defensively? Comparing Jose Abreu's prowess at first base with La Pina

Fans of the Houston Astros have been bothered all offseason as it appears that the team will be moving on from veteran first baseman Yuli Gurriel. The fan favorite known as "La Pina" has been an important piece for the Astros, helping the club win its only two World Series titles in franchise history.

The 38-year-old first baseman remains on the free agent market, and while a return to the Astros cannot be ruled out, the two parties are yet to reach a new agreement.

"I know time marches on, things change, and it's a business but that first base bag for the Astros will always belong to Yuli Gurriel as far as I'm concerned. I just hope he finds a landing place soon if that's what he really wants. Gonna be hard not to see him play this year." - @Astros4everFan

Although the veteran may not have much time remaining in his MLB career, Yuli Gurriel has continued to remain productive as he ages. Last season with the Astros, the veteran hit .242 with 8 home runs and 53 RBIs. While 2022 was a bit of a down year, he was electric in 2021, hitting .319 with 15 home runs and 81 RBIs.

While the Astros have waivered on whether or not they will bring back Gurriel, the team added a high-profile replacement this offseason. They managed to land former National League MVP Jose Abreu in free agency. Despite him being a clear upgrade on offense, fans have questioned how it will hurt the team defensively at first base.

"Working on his defense at first base has become a daily ritual for Astros newcomer José Abreu in spring training as he replaces Yuli Gurriel, whose work in the field was elite." - Houston Chronicle

The former Chicago White Sox superstar has been putting in work daily to improve his defensive play at first base. According to FanGraphs.com, Abreu ranked 62nd in defensive rating among first basemen who played a minimum of 100 innings. He will drastically need to improve upon that ranking if he is going to mesh with the Houston Astros' defensive identity.

What's next for Yuli Gurriel?

Even though the Cuban first baseman is without a club, one team that makes sense and has already expressed interest in the veteran is the Miami Marlins. Earlier in the offseason, the Marlins offered Gurriel a one-year, $3 million deal, which they eventually retracted due to his indecision.

The Marlins may be an ideal fit for Gurriel as the team could use help on offense. So far this offseason, the club has managed to land American League batting champion Luis Arraez from the Minnesota Twins.