Slugger Jose Abreu, now a member of the Houston Astros, was a Chicago White Sox legend.
He arrived to the South Side of Chicago in 2014, and did nothing but mash ever since.
He was so good that he won an MVP award in 2020, and drove in 863 runs in nine seasons (almost 100 per year even though he played just 60 games in the pandemic year).
He is now set to make Astros history the minute he takes the field next year.
“José Abreu wore No. 79 throughout his White Sox career. No Astros player has ever worn that number,” Astros insider Brian McTaggart tweeted.
José Abreu wore No. 79 throughout his White Sox career. No Astros player has ever worn that number.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) November 28, 2022
The expectation is that Abreu will use that same number in Houston, and why wouldn’t he?
He said in a 2014 interview (his first season in the major leagues) that the reason why he uses that jersey number is because his mother picked it for him.
His Mother Picked That Number For Him
The MLB.com article linked to above states that “it was his mother who picked No. 79 when he asked her to select a uniform number that stood out.”
In the piece, Abreu talks at length about his excellent relationship with his mother Daisy Correa, to whom he owes it all he is and all he has.
79 or not, Abreu was incredible during his time with Chicago and is now looking to perform at the same level with the Astros.
In Houston, he will have everything set up for contention: he wants his first real shot at the World Series title, and he will more than likely get one with the Astros.
For the next three years, he will be tasked with driving in runs in the stacked Astros lineup.
NEXT: Video Shows The Astros Introducing Jose Abreu