Chicago White Sox

The Latest: White Sox's Abreu to testify for 2nd day

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:03 a.m. ET

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AP

MIAMI (AP) The Latest on Agent-Cuban Smuggling (all times local):

5 p.m.

Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu will return for a second day of testimony in a Miami trial of two men accused of illegally smuggling Cuban ballplayers to the United States.

Abreu spent all of Wednesday on the stand in the case of Florida sports agent Bartolo Hernandez and baseball trainer Julio Estrada. They are accused of arranging smuggling ventures involving Cuban players using false documents.

Earlier Wednesday, Abreu testified he ate a chunk of a fake passport while flying to the U.S. to cover up his illegal travel. Abreu said he ordered a beer on an Air France flight from Haiti to Miami and slowly consumed the page containing a false name and his photo.

Abreu says he traveled illegally because he was worried about losing the $68 million contract he later signed with Chicago.

He'll return to the stand Thursday.

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1:30 p.m.

Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu has told a Miami federal jury he ate a chunk of a fake passport while flying to the U.S. to cover up his illegal travel as part of a Cuban ballplayer smuggling operation.

Abreu testified Wednesday that he ordered a beer on an Air France flight from Haiti to Miami and slowly consumed the page containing a false name and his photo. Abreu says he traveled illegally because he was worried about losing the $68 million contract he later signed with Chicago.

The testimony came in the trial of agent Bartolo Hernandez and trainer Julio Estrada, who are accused of alien smuggling and conspiracy.

Abreu was American League Rookie of the Year in 2014. Last year he had 25 home runs and 100 RBIs.

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