Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve had been talked about as a candidate to play left subject in 2025. That place change is ready to occur.
Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reported that supervisor Joe Espada stated Altuve will play the vast majority of his video games in left. Espada additional stated that they don’t need to shuttle Altuve between second and left, indicating that he might be an outfielder, at the very least for this season.
Outfield had been the weakest hyperlink for the Astros. Outfielder Kyle Tucker had been traded to the Cubs, leaving a sequence of query marks in his wake. Left subject was large open, with Jake Meyers and Chas McCormick atop the depth chart in middle and proper respectively.
Yordan Alvarez, who spent 53 video games in left in 2024, will virtually solely be used as a delegated hitter throughout the upcoming season.
Transferring Altuve to the outfield comes with dangers. He had by no means performed within the outfield at any degree as an expert till Friday. Altuve solely has a complete of six innings at any place except for second base within the majors, all of that are at shortstop. Though he had been understanding in left throughout the offseason, there’s a distinct distinction between shagging fly balls and a sport scenario.
In concept, this transfer will enhance the Astros protection. Utility man Mauricio Dubon has saved 12 runs at second in nearly a 12 months’s value of motion throughout his profession. Altuve, whereas a former Gold Glove winner, had declined defensively at second, having value the Astros 4 runs on the keystone over the previous three years.
There’s one main downside with this plan — can Altuve turn into a reliable defensive outfielder? He’ll flip 35 this season as he learns a brand new place. Whereas the Astros have a number of weeks left to make that willpower, they’re playing that this transfer will work out.
