Jose Abreu is the real deal. In his first 26 games as a White Sox, he has set records according to ESPN:
• Abreu extended his MLB rookie home run record for March/April with his 10th.
• Abreu’s 10 home runs are the most by a White Sox rookie in any month.
• The 10 home runs in March/April are the most for a White Sox player since Paul Konerkohad 11 in 2001.
• Abreu’s 31 RBIs set an MLB rookie record for March/April, as he broke out of a tie for the top spot with Albert Pujols.
• Abreu's 31 RBIs are a franchise record for the opening month, topping Konerko’s mark of 28 in 2002.
• Abreu tied Zeke Bonura’s mark for most home runs through the first 26 games of his career. Bonura did it in 1934.
• Abreu’s 31 RBIs are the most by a White Sox player in their first
26 games, and are the most by a White Sox player in any month since Frank Thomas had 31 in August 2003.
• Abreu became the first player in MLB history to have four games with four or more RBIs in his first 26 games.
Abreu, 27, appears to be an accomplished player. After 29 MLB games, he is hitting .270, .336 OBP, .617 SLG, with 10 HR, 32 RBI and 0.7 WAR. If you project that WAR for a full season, it would be 4.9 WAR, which is All-Star caliber.
The season still has a way to go, and other teams will try to adjust to Abreu's swing. But an analysis of his strike zone shows that his plate coverage so far has been excellent.
