Jose Altuve has probably the most begins at second base of any energetic MLB participant, however that depend might have come to a cease because the Houston Astros are planning to play Altuve principally in left area this season, supervisor Joe Espada informed reporters on Monday.
“Proper now the plan is for him to play the vast majority of his video games in left area,” Espada stated, including that transferring Altuve “backwards and forwards is one thing that I’m going to keep away from.”
It’s going to take some getting used to for Astros followers who’ve watched Altuve man the keystone since his 2011 rookie season. He gained the Gold Glove in 2015, and in 2020 led the AL with the fewest errors at second base. He additionally helped the Astros win the 2022 World Sequence over the Philadelphia Phillies and the 2017 World Sequence over the Los Angeles Dodgers, within the yr he gained the AL MVP.
Altuve’s bat might not be on the stage it was throughout his MVP marketing campaign — he hit .295 in 2024 — however his fielding hasn’t taken successful. In 2024, he dedicated simply 5 errors throughout 146 begins at and led all AL second basemen with a fielding proportion of .989.
It is an attention-grabbing transfer because the Astros did not exit and purchase a blatant alternative at second base. The concept of transferring Altuve to left was first broached when the staff was seeking to maintain third baseman Alex Bregman. If Bregman had returned to Houston, it might need compelled newly acquired Isaac Paredes to shift to second base and Altuve to the outfield, however with Bregman becoming a member of the Red Sox, Paredes will stay at third.
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When speaking about Bregman on the staff’s FanFest in January, Altuve stated, “No matter I’ve to do for him to remain, I am keen to do it.” Requested about how tough it could be to change to the outfield after by no means enjoying there earlier than, he stated with a smile, “For Alex, nothing will likely be tough.”
Even after Bregman signed with Boston, transferring Altuve to the outfield nonetheless made sense to the staff.
Mauricio Dubon and Brendan Rodgers have swapped beginning duties at second base all through spring coaching. Dubon is a utility man who has performed each place on the diamond throughout two seasons in Houston, whereas Rodgers got here to Houston from the Colorado Rockies in free company.
A nine-time All-Star and three-time batting champion, Altuve has performed all however two of his 1,767 main league begins at second base.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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