Jose Abreu raises average to .303 with four hits in White Sox’ loss

MINNEAPOLIS — At 30, Jose Abreu is probably in the best shape of his life.

His hitting stroke is fit as a fiddle, too.

“He can hit the ball any place he wants,’’ said Twins great and fellow Cuban Tony Oliva after the White Sox’ 6-4 loss to the Twins. “Left field, right field, up the middle. He makes adjustments.’’

It doesn’t hurt that the first baseman, who reached base five times by going 4-for-4 with a walk and had two RBI, is playing at 243 pounds, 35 below the 278 he weighed in at when the Sox signed him to a club-record $68 million free-agent deal Oct. 23, 2013.

He has missed only one game this season and is still producing steady power — according to STATS, Abreu is the first player in franchise history with four consecutive 25-homer seasons, and he’s on pace for career highs in extra-base hits and runs. His 36 doubles are a career high.

Abreu is also within reach of a career high for games played, likely topping 145 games in 2014 (ankle tendinitis prompted his only stint on the disabled list in May), 154 in 2015 and 159 in 2016. Only 11 of his games have been as the designated hitter, so it’s not like he’s playing half-games, so to speak.

Abreu, who leads the team in hit by pitches with 12, has played through pain, especially when his ankles and feet were bothering him early on, but he says he never has asked for a day off.

“A few times I felt like I needed a rest,’’ Abreu said, “but at the same time, I say to myself, ‘I’m here to play. They’re paying me to be on the field every day.’ With that in mind, I just grind it out and haven’t asked for a day off. No, I wasn’t doing it.’’

If there is a more diligent worker on the team, director of conditioning Allen Thomas can’t identify one.

“Abreu,’’ Thomas said. “Always diligent — just a workaholic.’’

Abreu was at Target Field for a 7:10 p.m. game at noon.

“He doesn’t miss,’’ Thomas said. “Works on running. Works on distance. Hitting. Most of the time, he’ll come and finish at night.’’

And Abreu’s offseason conditioning is impeccable, too, Thomas said.

“Followed it to a T,’’ Thomas said.

“I don’t think there’s a secret [to staying healthy],’’ Abreu said. “Maybe the key is working hard in the offseason to be in the best shape possible to get through the season without any major injury.’’

About to turn 30 in the offseason, Abreu determined at season’s end that he would play this season under 250 pounds.

“I had to be in better shape, I had to take off some weight,’’ he said.

“Honestly, when you turn 30, your body changes, and you have to adjust your routine and watch what you eat because your body is not the same.’’

Abreu reached five times against right-handers Ervin Santana (14-7), Trevor Hildenberger and Matt Belisle, raising his average to .303. He has been a model of consistency, batting .317, .290 and .293 in his first three seasons.

Abreu also ran the bases well, getting a good read and scoring on a double off the wall by Avisail Garcia and getting a double, which scored Adam Engel, on a blooper to short center by scrambling around Hildenberger, who was covering second.

“He’s swinging the bat very well situationally,’’ manager Rick Renteria said.

Sox right-hander James Shields (2-5), feeling overheated in the first and fighting a bug, lasted five innings, allowing four runs, including a homer to Jorge Polanco, who also went deep against Aaron Bummer for his ninth of the season and sixth in the last six games against the Sox.

Follow me on Twitter @CST_soxvan.

Email: dvanschouwen@suntimes.com

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