In perhaps the least-surprising decision of the offseason, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow tells reporters that the team will indeed exercise its 2018 club options over Jose Altuve and Marwin Gonzalez (Twitter link via the Houston Chronicle’s Jake Kaplan). Altuve will earn $6MM next year, and Gonzalez will take home a $5.125MM salary.
Altuve, of course, is one of the front-runners for American League MVP honors on the heels of a season in which he batted a ridiculous .346/.410/.547 with 24 homers and 32 stolen bases.
The 27-year-old superstar won his second consecutive American League batting championship and his third in the past four seasons. All told, he was a roughly eight-win player by both Fangraphs’ and Baseball-Reference’s version of Wins Above Replacement. In all likelihood, the American League Most Valuable Player Award will come down to a two-horse race between Altuve and Aaron Judge.
He’s led the American League in hits for the past four seasons, topping 200 total knocks in each of those years. Houston holds one more option over Altuve’s services for the 2019 season — yet another bargain at $6.5MM — before the five-time All-Star will be eligible for free agency in the 2019-20 offseason.
Gonzalez, 29 next March, had one of the most impressive and unexpected breakouts of any player in Major League Baseball. After hitting .268/.309/.413 in nearly 1200 plate appearances from 2014-16, the switch-hitting utility man erupted with a .303/.377/.530 batting line in 515 plate appearances. Gonzalez’s 23 homers and 34 doubles shattered his previous career-highs of 13 and 26, respectively. The former Rule 5 pick more than doubled his walk rate and also cut his strikeout rate by nearly four percent when compared to the preceding season.
Beyond his excellence at the plate, Gonzalez saw at least 130 innings at all four infield positions, including 281 at shortstop. He also played 331 innings in left field during the regular season before serving as the team’s primary left fielder in the playoffs. Gonzalez will be a free agent following the 2018 season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
I wonder if the Astros will be able to lock up Altuve long term?
They have him for 2 more years so my guess is they wait until next offseason to approach him.
If he wins the MVP, I think they would have to start now, He hits the open market After next year and who knows?
He is grossly underpaid for his performance on the field
What’s the difference whether he wins the mvp or not
An agent uses it as leverage, plus he instantly becomes their most marketable player so an extension is great pr
“The 27-year-old superstar won his second consecutive American League batting championship and his third in the past three seasons. ”
So doesn’t that mean he won his third consecutive American League batting championship?
Ha. That should’ve read “third in the past four seasons.” Fixed that now. Thanks.
Altuve will be in line for a huge payday in 2020. His performance the past several years have a value in excess of $20M/year, so if HOU intends to keep him they really should talk extension with him sooner rather than later.
Justin Upton just signed a 5 yr./$108m contract and Altuve is a far superior player
Astros have to also look at locking up Springer Correa and a few others going brain dead. They have to make up their minds how much money they are going to spend. I know they have a few years but there is going to be a ton of money they need to spend to keep the main pieces together. They need to prioritize which players are the most important to keep and get them under contract as soon as possible.
I think Altuve will win The MVP over Judge, but not by very much. Yea, Judge led his team to The NLCS, but Altuve led his team to a WS victory. Plus, Altuve did much better than Judge in The Playoffs. That’s just why I think he’ll win it.
Award voting on MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, etc. is all conducted before the postseason begins. Their postseason performances won’t impact the outcome.
Oh, ok. I’m not sure who would win it then. I think I would go Altuve still. He’s led the league in average, and hits. Plus, he has power and speed.
Also, just did not lead his team that deep. He was completely awful in the NLDS
Also, just did not lead his team that deep. He was completely awful in the ALDS
I’m a Yankee fan and I think altuve should win it but u have to think the Astros might have still had a shot at the postseason without altuve the Yankees would never have gotten near the postseason without judge
Voting is determined after the regular season is over so playoff performance doesn’t factor.
If Judge led his team to the NLCS, he should without question be the MVP ;-)
He will never lead the Yankees to the NLCS, no matter how hard he tries. It’s not players choice to change leagues
That was the joke he was making, but thanks for taking the funny out of it.
Yeah and nothing I said has anything to do with playoff performance
And he wasn’t responding to you either, so…
This is as surprising as the Red Sox exercising their option on Sale
Altuves contract has to be the most team friendly contract in baseball. I thought Kluber and Sales were team friendly. They arent even in this realm.
Jose Ramirez?
Another team friendly deal but it doesn’t approach the Kubler, Sale, Altuve, Sal Perez (pre deal rework), Lucroy, or Yelich zone until he holds that success over a longer period of time.
People forget about Goldschmidt’s contract. He signed a 5yr 32 mil deal. Rizzo is also on a 7yr 41 mil deal. Don’t forget about Bumgarner getting 5 yr at 35 mil
Brian dozier has turned into a goodie for the twins at 4yrs/20 million. A reasonable back loaded contract that retains his prime free agency years.