The Astros and infielder Luis Guillorme have agreed to a minor league deal, reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. The MVP Sports Group client also gets an invite to big league camp, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic.
Guillorme, 30, is a glove-first utility guy. He was able to produce offense around league average in the 2020 to 2022 seasons, which made him a useful player for the Mets. Unfortunately, his bat fell off in 2023, so the Mets non-tendered him.
That sent him into journeyman mode last year. He started the season with Atlanta and eventually bounced to the Angels and Diamondbacks. He produced a line of .205/.301/.273 between those three clubs, his second straight poor season at the plate. His combined line over 2023 and 2024 was .213/.296/.295 for a wRC+ of 68, indicating he was 32% below league average.
As mentioned, he was better before that. He slashed .278/.367/.344 over the three previous seasons, leading to a 107 wRC+. He didn’t provide much pop, with just three home runs in 559 plate appearances, but he walked at a 12% rate and only struck out 15.4% of the time. When combined with his glovework, FanGraphs credited him with 3.1 wins above replacement in 201 games over that three-year period.
Defensively, Guillorme has 1,339 1/3 innings at second base, 604 at third and 229 1/3 innings at shortstop. Both Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average have given him a grade of +7 at the keystone in his career, while his work at the other two spots has been considered close to average.
The Astros have a question mark at second base for the first time in years. Jose Altuve has had that position locked down since he debuted in the summer of 2011. He’s never been a great defender and the metrics have soured on him further recently. Since he’ll turn 35 years old in May, the club is reportedly considering a move to left field for Altuve.
Those reports originally surfaced in connection with rumors that they were still considering re-signing Alex Bregman, which would push Isaac Paredes from third to second. However, it has since become clear that Altuve could be moving to left field with or without Bregman involved. If Bregman signs elsewhere and Altuve ends up on the grass, the club will need solutions at second base.
Mauricio Dubón is on the roster but would ideally be deployed in a super utility role, playing infield and outfield. Shay Whitcomb and Zach Dezenzo are on the 40-man but neither has more than 20 games of MLB experience, and Dezenzo is more of a corner infielder regardless. The Astros signed Zack Short to a minor league deal last month for some extra non-roster depth and now Guillorme gives them another candidate to look at in camp.
The fact that Guillorme hits from the left side probably helps as well, since that has been a focus of the club this offseason. Yordan Alvarez is the only lefty hitter that seems locked into an everyday role at this point. Ben Gamel was signed as a possible outfield addition, though his deal isn’t fully guaranteed and he could be squeezed out if Altuve ends up in left. Guys like Jon Singleton and Taylor Trammell are also lefty swingers who could be on the bench, with Guillorme possibly joining them.
Guillermo getting even 350 PA means that the Astros will win at most one playoff game. I would say not even make the playoffs, but the Mariners’ offense is even worse.
MiLB signing.
Once more with feeling…
DEPTH SIGNING
Interesting strategy of moving Altuve to left and Dubon/Guillorme platoon 2nd. Maybe they trade McCormick and Meyers for some prospects to free up cash, and can sign Verdugo. Outfield of Gamel, Verdugo and Altuve certainly an upgrade from the current .200 hitters out there.
alex bregman replacement
Also with them having the names of old such as Bob, Mike, Jim, and Tom too.
They buried the lead with this headline! I live in Houston and I’m a big Astros fan – but this is the first I’ve heard of moving Altuve off 2nd other than in response to a Bregman re-signing. It is probably the right move. But it is also a reminder that Altuve has 5 years left on his contract, is 35, and is declining. Do we REALLY want Bregman at 6/156 or more??
I don’t.
Jose Altuve has been the worst defensive 2B the last three years. Everytime I watch him play 2B, he seems pretty good. His numbers are poor, however.
Altuve’s whole career has been a consistent combination of mostly greatness but some poorly timed head scratching play at bat and in the field. He always looks like he’s trying too hard at everything all the time. But he earned that contract, and Houston wanted a team lifer in the HOF, so they’ll have to deal with the decline like they did with Biggio and Bagwell
They have actually been talking about Altuve in left regardless of Bregman. Not full-time but probably sometimes. and no, I don’t want Bregman for six years. If we did add Bregman, then the Tucker trade ends up being pretty bad as you would displace Paredes and block Cam Smith for as long as Bregman was signed, still leaving the huge outfield mess. IMO
Altuve will play LF this year. How much is TBD.
Listen to the Crush City podcast. The had Joe Espada on yesterday and he confirmed it.
Guillorme, Short, and Gamel all ex-Met scrubs
Thanks for tracking that, its very important work you’re doing
Guillorme? I would have went with Luis Gil
Blue in the Gills
Where’s Rafael Landestoy when you need him?
Landestoy! LOL! That just took me WAY back! NICE!
I only remember him as somebody I would get a ton of his baseball cards as a “common”. “Ohhhh man, not ANOTHER Rafael Landestoy!!!!” Plus it’s a unique name haha.
Hey I love your avatar picture…Lost was a badass show. And I deliberately didn’t watch the last 5 or so episodes because I didn’t want to be disappointed in how it ended. I thought they would screw it up for sure. I still need to go back and watch those, but I will probably have to start back at the beginning in order to make sense of it.
Guillorme….so you’d rather have the inferior Guillorme play second to allow Dubon (who isn’t actually good) flexibility. Also mentioned in this article is Singleton, why is he still taking up a 26-man spot? You should NEVER use him at first anymore and he isn’t a good bat. ?? Good story but no.
I was going to say it is just a minor league deal, so I shouldn’t be concerned but no, why block prospects development down there either. No, no, no. arrrgh.
Never forget Ron Washington throwing Guillorme under the bus. Ron Washington is not the people leader that the industry give him credit for.
Another IF/CIF guy
It’s like they’re just taunting him screaming “You don’t like our offer? Suck it, Bregman”
How is it just hungover bus drivers that look that way?