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Not a ton to say here, as extension talks prior to the 5 p.m. Eastern deadline on Thursday didn’t result in a deal, as José Abreu accepted the $17.8 qualifying offer from the White Sox. El Capítan will be back in pinstripes next season.
There’s risk on both sides, with Abreu taking the one-year QO. Of course, on José’s end, any sort of injury-riddled season or terrible performance knocks him from seven-figure season salary consideration, making his bet on himself for 2020 a failure.
On the White Sox side, not wrapping Abreu up with an entirely reasonable 3/$36 million sort of extension makes the club vulnerable in 2021. Similar to a situation this offseason with players like Hyun-Jin Ryu or Yasmani Grandal, bidding teams might be willing to be a bit more aggressive with offers knowing that in 2021 no draft pick compensation will be attached to signing away Abreu.
It may be no risk at all for the White Sox, and the QO is merely Abreu’s golden parachute out of the White Sox organization, as the club has first base options in the pipeline, including Zack Collins, Andrew Vaughn and Gavin Sheets.