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Out of all 360 PPR blurbs, I think this is the most disconcerting. Jose Altuve claimed the Astros’ starting second base job when he debuted in the majors on July 20, 2011. He hasn’t played every game since then; Altuve has actually gone to the IL seven times in his career, though only one of those stints lasted more than four weeks. But since Altuve’s debut, the Astros have played 2,068 regular-season games. Altuve has taken part in 1,821 of those, and started 1,751 of them at second base. Nobody else has even 100 starts at second for Houston since Altuve entered the picture. In the postseason — where Altuve and the Astros have gone eight seasons running and nine times in the past 10 years — he’s started 102 of 105 games at second base.
That’s a Jeter-on-the-Yankees-level run, and it’s coming to an end. The Astros have floated moving their veteran leader to left field for a while, originally to make room for Bregman and/or Nolan Arenado alongside the surfeit of young third basemen acquired in the Kyle Tucker trade.
Having struck out there, the Astros are moving Altuve nonetheless. Manager Joe Espada has said that while Altuve will still play second base occasionally, most of his reps will come in left. Out in left field, Altuve probably still be pretty bad defensively, but at least it’s harder to find a productive hitter at second base than in left field.
Sarcasm aside, the Astros did luck out in grabbing Brendan Rodgers on a minor league deal. He wasn’t good, so to speak, his last season in Colorado, but he was competent last year and basically average in 2021 and 2022. Houston could also plug in Mauricio Dubón, if they feel comfortable releasing him from his utility role, or Luis Guillorme, another NRI with plenty of major league experience.
Whatever they end up doing, it’s going to be weird having anyone but Altuve out there.
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