Chicago White Sox's Jose Abreu (79) celebrates along with the rest of his team on a win over the ... [+]

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jose Abreu isn't ripped physically like his friend Yoan Moncada but works hard to keep himself in shape. His reward is he's sticking with the White Sox long enough to see how Moncada and the his other young teammates grow up.

While not as splashy as Thursday's signing of Yasmani Grandal, the Sox announced an extension of Abreu's contract on Friday - and that deal figures to be just as significant for the team in 2021 and '22, if not beyond, as the acquisition of one of the best all-around catchers in the game.

Abreu has long said he wants to stay with the White Sox, who signed him a little more than six years ago after he left Cuba. He and the team could not reach terms on an extension before he filed for free agency but he put himself under contract for 2020 by accepting the Qualifying Offer. That lengthened the window to discuss a long-term deal, and the sides reached agreement on a three-year, $50 million deal.

If anything, this deal actually adds some immediate financial flexibility. Abreu will earn $16 million next season ($11 million in salary and a $5 million signing bonus) as opposed to the $17.8 million figure from the QO. The Sox will throw that little bit extra into the pursuit of free-agent starter Zach Wheeler, who appears to be their top target left in free agency.

While Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg are the top arms on the market, they are both California natives who are long shots, at best, for a rebuilding team in the AL Central. The Sox appear to instead be prioritizing the pursuit of Wheeler, who has recovered from Tommy John surgery to average 189 innings for the Mets the last two seasons, as well as possibly Madison Bumgarner, Hyun-jin Ryu and Dallas Keuchel.

The White Sox could also see if Boston's new regime is eager enough to get out from under the deals it inherited to pay down the remaining money on contracts for Chris Sale ($145 million over five years), David Price ($96 million over three years) or Nathan Eovaldi (three years, $51 million).

They have the inventory to deal for a proven starter but there are few obvious fits on the market. The Rangers' Mike Minor and Lance Lynn could fit, along with possibly the Reds' Trevor Bauer and Jose Castillo and the Braves' Mike Foltynewicz.

It will only increase the resolve of Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and General Manager Rick Hahn to know that they now have Abreu under control for three more seasons, at least. He'll play alongside Grandal, Moncada, Eloy Jimenez and Tim Anderson, in addition to starters Lucas Giolito, Michael Kopech, Dylan Cease and an intriguing collection of prospects (headed by Luis Robert, Nick Madrigal and Andrew Vaughn).

Abreu has been one of the most consistent run-producers in the world over the last decade. He put up totals in Cuba that compared to Barry Bonds' best years, and in six seasons with the White Sox has hit .293 with 179 home runs, 611 RBIs and an .862 OPS.

Abreu, who turns 33 in January, has been a mentor for Moncada, Jimenez and other teammates. His own selectivity at the plate has slowly decreased through the years as the lineup around him grew more and more inexperienced but that could swing the other way with a deeper lineup.

He sees himself as a first baseman but lacks the range to be an asset defensively. The Sox may look to him more as a designated hitter in 2021 and '22, as Vaughn (third overall pick in the 2019 draft) appears on a fast track to Guaranteed Rate Field.

The Sox trust that he will continue to keep himself in shape, as he did working toward free agency. He'll surely be motivated by the chance to play in the postseason games he's only watched on television.

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