The Astros will keep Jose Altuve in left field to begin the season, manager Joe Espada told the beat on Wednesday (links via Brian McTaggart of MLB.com and Matt Kawahara of The Houston Chronicle). Espada said the plan is for Altuve to play “most of his games” in left, though he noted that could change depending on how things play out during the season.
It’s the finalization of what had become clear throughout camp. Altuve has started 10 games in left against one at second base (and one at designated hitter) this spring. It’s been understandably rocky. Altuve dropped easy fly balls in each of the last two games. He has three errors compared to 13 putouts. Altuve told reporters that his most recent misplays, each of which came with a runner on third, have come as he’s attempted to rush throws home.
“I’m really happy that I got two more fly balls today after I missed that one and I was able to make those plays and just move on,” he said. “Just move on. I’ve been in tough situations before, and I’ve overcome that. I’m ready to go out there and play good left field. I promise I’m going to keep working hard and be a great left fielder.”
Altuve’s start in left field on Opening Day will be his first in the big leagues at any position other than second base. He’ll likely occasionally slide back to his old position on days when Yordan Alvarez draws into the outfield. Espada has said he hopes to keep Alvarez at DH more frequently than he has in previous years. Mauricio Dubón should get the majority of second base work.
One potential factor for the corner outfield mix: Cam Smith. Houston has left the door open for the prospect in the Kyle Tucker trade to break camp in his first full professional season. The 22-year-old has torn the cover off the ball this spring. He took A.J. Minter deep for his fourth homer of the spring during tonight’s game. Smith is hitting .419 with an OPS pushing 1.400 in 13 exhibition games. The Astros have begun getting the collegiate third baseman reps in right field, where he has 25 innings.
It’s not a sign that Smith is moving off his natural position. He has played 41 innings over eight games at third base. Still, with Isaac Paredes positioned for the majority of the third base work, Smith’s best short-term path to MLB work might be in the outfield. That’d probably be at the expense of projected right fielder Chas McCormick, but it’s feasible that he could get some work in left field as well — especially if McCormick rebounds from his rough ’24 season.
Open sesame: here come the batteries!
Absolutely. I don’t think he’s gonna last too long out there. It’s open season unfortunately
What a debacle
He’s been so bad lol
He’s no worse than Verdooki lol and at least Altuve can hit, cheater or not. Verdooki couldn’t hit as a LH bat in Yankee stadium of all places.
Smith has done nothing but hit this spring and deserves a shot in RF. I don’t know if Espada thinks he’s Phil Garner but just because Biggio could play a passable LF in his late 30’s doesn’t mean Altuve can
Smith the next Lou Brock? Cub prospect traded turns into HOF player. I’ll have to check back in a few years
Or maybe at the very least after he’s played a single game?
Mariners fan here. Lots of respect to Altuve for doing what he’s asked.. but this makes no sense to me. Even less sense that they gave him the contract extension only to turn around and move him off position.
Altuve’s 2B defense has considerably slipped the past two seasons. Dubon is an above average fielder.
Everybody now hit it to Altuve !!!!
Jose Altuve DH
Yordan Alvarez DH
Why? He’s one of the best second basemen in the game. This smells like a solution looking for a problem.
That’s no longer true as far as his fielding abilities. He was good at 2B but he’s been in significant decline.
If Altuve manages to scale the wall to rob a HR we’ll all know he’s got something in his shoes
Umpa lumpa dumpity doo…
It seems like the logical thing to do would’ve been to keep Altuve at 2B and sign Alex Verdugo to play LF. But now you have this rookie 3B, Cam Smith who could play RF because McCormick has apparently gone into the tank and stayed there. Two inexperienced outfielders in the same outfield. Oh, and they still don’t have a clear cut second baseman. What a mess
Nothing wrong with Dubon at the keystone… pass the dutchie to the leff hand side!
As a Mariners fan… let me just say that Altuve moving to left field was the best part of our offseason… so thank you lol
LMAO!!
Altuve should be the Mariners DH.
Ms would actually have a real hitter in the lineup.
I bet you were talking so much trash in the early innings of game one of the ALDS in 2022.
Astros signed a gold glove 2B who’s been hitting decent in spring and have a decent offense, so I don’t think the occasional miscue in left field is all of a sudden gonna make them 10 games worse. They score 5-6 runs per game usually and don’t have to worry about trying to win 1-0 games like the Mariners with their non-existent offense.
No worries. He’s twice the outfielder Spencer Torkleson is.
and half the size
I like it.
The Astros might be pioneering a model where positional designations become secondary to a player’s total value (offense + defense + versatility), upending decades of sabermetric orthodoxy that fixates on fixed roles. If successful, this could shift how teams evaluate prospects and veterans alike, valuing adaptability over specialization. No one’s talking about this because it’s buried under the surface narrative of Altuve’s dropped fly balls—but the logic points to a potential revolution in roster construction.