Jose Altuve has long been a staple of the Houston Astros. He's been their starting second baseman ever since making his MLB debut in 2011, accruing an MVP award, two World Series rings, nine All-Star nods, three AL batting titles, seven Silver Sluggers, and a Gold Glove award in that time.
You don't have to like him — and, depending on how you view the 2017 Astros' trash banging scandal, you might even hate him — but that's a Hall of Fame résumé.
And the diminutive infielder isn't slowing down. He won yet another Silver Slugger in 2024, finishing 15th in AL MVP voting. His .858 OPS since 2021 actually outstrips his career mark (.831). Even as he prepares for his age-35 season in 2025, he remains one of the best second basemen in the league.
Except, he might not be a second baseman anymore.
Jose Altuve to play left field, keeping Yordan Alvarez as Astros' DH
Even though they failed to re-sign Alex Bregman, the Astros are clearly interested in maintaing positional flexibility among their core roster pieces this season.
Yordan Alvarez is, in no uncertain terms, a terrible left fielder. He has been worth -17 Outs Above Average there in his career, including a hideous -7 mark in 2024.
Keeping him out of the outfield and focused on hitting as a designated hitter is the right move, especially considering how prodigious the lefty is at the plate.
Naturally, that means the Astros need to find a new everyday left fielder, and they've made it clear this spring that Altuve is the first guy up on that list. Manager Joe Espada made it clear to reporters that the plan is for Altuve to become a primary left fielder in 2025.
Espada: "Right now the plan is for him to play the majority of his games in left field, and the days that he plays second base opens the door for Yordan maybe getting a start in left field, someone getting a DH day. So this move allows us to be creative and do stuff like that." https://t.co/wBuSZsO0Gy
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) March 3, 2025
If Altuve does truly switch positions this year, the Astros' lineup could take a few different shapes. They could let Isaac Paredes — the third baseman they acquired in the Kyle Tucker trade — play second, opening up the hot corner for either Shay Whitcomb or Zach Dezenzo, both of whom are already on the 40-man roster.
Or, they could keep Paredes at third, which would create a competition at second base between two plus-defenders: Mauricio Dubón and Brendan Rodgers, though the latter, as a non-roster invite to spring camp, would have to be added to the 40-man.
Given the volume of ground-ball pitchers on the roster (especially ace Framber Valdez), it makes sense that the Astros would want to stash Altuve — who was worth -8 OAA at second base in 2024 — in left field while opening up his primary position for a younger alternative.
Still, it speaks volumes about the Astros' offseason that this is what they have to resort to after Bregman and Tucker's departures. Houston remains talented, but their years of dominating the AL West and making annual ALCS appearances may be at an end.