The Houston Astros dropped a proverbial bombshell when they optioned Jose Abreu to the minor leagues. Though it wasn’t a surprising development, especially after the .099 start that the 3x All-Star experienced this season. However, now that he has been sent to West Palm Beach, a question arises – what is Jose Abreu’s timeline? When could we see him back in the major leagues?

The Athletic’s Chandler Rome discussed Abreu’s future in his latest appearance on the Foul Territory Show. Rome revealed that the Cuban star was “embarrassed” by the entire situation. That’s one of the reasons why Abreu agreed to go to the minor leagues for the first time in his career. However, on the question of his return – Rome didn’t give an encouraging answer.

“If anything the Astros thought he worked too hard, he took too many at-bats, too much pregame work, and that tired him out,” Chandler Rome said. “So it sounds like it’s going to be really be up to Jose Abreu, how he goes about this stint in West Palm Beach. There’s no timeline of when he’ll be back or anything.” 

Later, Rome noted that even though there was no clarity of his return, this move was a necessity. “It was clear something had to happen and they couldn’t afford to keep carrying him on the active roster,” Rome said. It had been obvious for a very long time Jose Abreu’s current position at the Houston Astros was at risk. With his ever-dwindling performances, together with the team’s downfall – the decision may have become easier for the Astros.

But now that the dust has settled, one wonders when he’ll be back. If one goes by the words of the Astros’ staff, they’re expecting Abreu to return to the major leagues soon.

Houston Astros remain positive about Jose Abreu’s comeback 

“We think (once) we can get Jose in this environment, that there’s a lot of good things that can come out of this,” Astros’ GM Dana Brown said (via MLB.com). “Both sides were in agreement to get this done…Hopefully, we will have him back up here as soon as possible.” The skipper echoed the GM’s words.

“We will let Jose dictate how many at-bats (he gets) and how to progress from one day to another,” Joe Espada said. So even though it’s a huge setback for Abreu, it could be a blessing in disguise for him. After all, the slugger’s form has deteriorated rather rapidly in the past month. A little help and a little focus can perhaps turn things around for him. But with no timeline to speak of, the road to recovery might be a bit long for the Astros star.