White Sox expect to keep Abreu through rebuild

Despite being in the midst of a rebuild, the Chicago White Sox say one of their better trade chips, Jose Abreu, will almost certainly be retained throughout the duration of his contract - and potentially, beyond.

"He's been here throughout the early stages of this rebuild, and it's certainly very likely that he'll be here for the most enjoyable stages that lie ahead of us," White Sox vice president and general manager Rick Hahn said Tuesday on MLB Network, according to Jeremy Werner of IlliniInquirer.com.

Abreu is set to hit free agency this winter. The 32-year-old slugger has proven to be an integral part of Chicago's lineup since winning AL Rookie of the Year in 2014. The two-time All-Star owns a career .293/.352/.516 slash line with 156 home runs and 191 doubles.

Despite entering a rebuild prior to the 2017 season, Chicago has failed to build much positive momentum. After trading Chris Sale for Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech as well as Adam Eaton for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez, the White Sox were expected to become competitive quickly.

Instead, they're coming off of back-to-back fourth-place finishes and were even worse in 2018 than in 2017. Now, one-quarter of the way into the 2019 campaign, Chicago is barely holding on to third place at 19-21. Moncada and Giolito are off to strong starts after disappointing debuts, while Kopech is sidelined for the season after requiring Tommy John surgery.