TORONTO — White Sox rookie first baseman Jose Abreu got another visit from the American League home run derby captain, Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista as Chicago concluded a four-game series in Toronto on Sunday.
Abreu feels the event, which goes July 14 in Minnesota, doesn’t mesh with his approach to the plate.
“He’s a little hesitant, he’s done a couple in the past and he hasn’t fared too well and he feels like it messes him up a little bit,” said Bautista. “But he did tell me that it’s not 100 percent ‘no’, to keep an open line of communication with him and see what happens.
“I think the fans deserve watching him. He’s a great talent. He’s somebody that’s taken MLB by storm in his first year and it’s amazing to see.”
Bautista added there will be an unveiling show July 7, where he will announce his lineup for the home run derby.
Abreu won’t be feeling any pressure from his manager in Chicago, Robin Ventura.
“If he’d like to avoid it, he should just say ‘no’,” said Ventura following the White Sox 4-0 victory in Toronto on Sunday. “It’s pretty simple. He can avoid it if he wants to. That’d be fine with me. I haven’t even talked to him about it.”