White Sox’ Jose Abreu named finalist for Hank Aaron Award

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu led the AL in hits, slugging, total bases and RBI and was second in home runs.

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White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu is a finalist for the Hank Aaron Award.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu is a finalist for the Hank Aaron Award.

David Banks/AP

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu is a finalist for the Hank Aaron Award, given to the outstanding offensive performer during the regular season in each league, MLB announced Wednesday.

Abreu, who led the American League in hits (76), slugging percentage (.617), total bases (148) and RBI (60) and was second in home runs (19), joins Jose Ramirez (Indians), Mike Trout (Angels), Nelson Cruz (Twins), DJ LeMahieu (Yankees), Brandon Lowe (Rays) and Teoscar Hernandez (Blue Jays) among the AL finalists.

Abreu led the AL in RBI for the second straight year after knocking in 123 runs in 2019, the first player to lead the AL in RBI in back-to-back seasons since David Ortiz of the Red Sox in 2005 and 2006. He played in all 60 games in the abbreviated season. Abreu also was third in runs scored with 43, fourth in average (.317) and 10th in on-base percentage (.370).

The National League finalists are Corey Seager (Dodgers), Freddie Freeman (Braves), Dominic Smith (Mets), Bryce Harper (Phillies), Juan Soto (Nationals), Manny Machado (Padres) and Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals).

A fan vote (MLB.com/hankaaronaward) and a Hall of Fame panel of Aaron, Roberto Alomar, Johnny Bench, Craig Biggio, Ken Griffey Jr., Eddie Murray and Robin Yount will determine the winners of the award, which was established in 1999.

Abreu, 33, also is a leading candidate for the AL Most Valuable Player award, which will be announced in November. He would be the fourth player (fifth time) in Sox history to be named MVP, joining Nellie Fox (1959), Dick Allen (1972) and Frank Thomas (1993, 1994), and would join Zoilo Versalles of the Twins in 1965 and Jose Canseco of the Athletics in 1988 as the only Cuban natives named league MVP.

He homered in four consecutive at-bats against the Cubs over two games at Wrigley Field, hit safely in 33 of his last 39 games with 16 homers during that stretch and put together a career-high 22-game hitting streak from Aug. 16 to Sept. 9, the longest in the majors.

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