Jose Altuve's new position prompts his same selflessness: ‘I think that's honorable'

New York Times

17-02-2025

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Field 1 at the Houston Astros' spring training complex can be complicated. The swirling south Florida wind sometimes feels more pronounced, often pausing the batting practice power shows fans flock to see. Shagging the fly balls that fall short is even more of an adventure, perfect to conduct the first test of such a fascinating experiment.
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On Monday morning, nine mile per hour winds from the northeast greeted Jose Altuve, an infielder initiating the next act of his storied career. Altuve tracked fly balls from a fungo bat, caught popups over his shoulder and practiced his first step. The nine-time All-Star second baseman flashed a smile after finishing his first public show in left field.
'It comes natural to him,' manager Joe Espada said afterward, 'and I'm not surprised because Jose Altuve is just an elite athlete.'
The next six weeks will determine whether it is enough for a total change of direction. What once looked like a last-ditch effort to lure Alex Bregman is becoming part of the Astros' post-Bregman reality. Moving Altuve off second base is under serious consideration, a fate this scene on Monday morning helped to underscore.
When it ended, Houston transitioned to drills with its middle infielders. Jeremy Peña patrolled shortstop and Mauricio Dubón took ground balls at second base. Altuve sat on a bucket in foul territory, watching his teammates from afar.
'Spring training will tell us a lot about it,' Altuve said of his ability to handle left field. 'Later on, I can give you a better answer, but from now on, I just want to prepare, get ready everywhere I play and focus to be 100 percent and be ready for the season.'
Jose Altuve is taking fly balls in left field during his first day in Astros camp pic.twitter.com/m9nPF2xSgr
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 17, 2025
Nothing anyone said on Monday strayed from the club's monthlong stance on Altuve's defensive future. Espada reiterated that Altuve will play both left field and second base in spring training, but declined to divulge any other absolutes about the Astros' plan for him.
Altuve avoided putting a number on playing any games in left field, saying it depends 'on what they request.' Asked if he had a preference of where he plays, Altuve said he does not.
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'I want to play. I want to be in the lineup. I want to help this team win, keep hitting doubles and triples and homers for this team,' Altuve said. 'It doesn't really matter where I play. I'm going to try to do my best.'
Selflessness is a hallmark of Altuve's career, but still so rare for someone of his stature. Rafael Devers' comments on Monday afternoon only accentuate things. That Altuve even accepted the club's choice to explore another position for him is a luxury few other clubs could ever count on from a Cooperstown-bound player.
'His willingness to do what the team needs is most important,' said first baseman Christian Walker, a teammate of Altuve's for all of one day. 'I think that's honorable.'
Altuve said the Astros approached him after last season with the idea of moving to the outfield. He did not reveal the team's rationale other than to say 'they just thought I could play a good left field.'
'I'm trying not to make this a big deal or a focus,' said Altuve, who spoke for nearly 10 minutes inside Houston's clubhouse. 'I think that's the main thing, I want to get rid of this left field conversation, try to answer every question possible and just move on and start preparing for what we all care about, which is preparing for the season and start winning.'
Little about Altuve's future in left field will be known until later in spring training. Houston hasn't even held its first full-squad workout, which is scheduled for Tuesday, and Altuve doesn't even own an outfield glove. Yordan Alvarez loaned Altuve his for Monday's workout. Afterward, Altuve jokingly blamed it for the one fly ball he dropped.
'He's an athlete. People don't realize how good he moves,' said Dubón, who has made a career out of playing both infield and outfield.
'Out of all these people, he's the one that can go from second to the outfield. Sometimes he makes it look easy — it's not that easy. It's hard. Catching ground balls then the next one has to go to the outfield. But out of all people, Jose can do it.'
Jeremy Peña at shortstop, Mauricio Dubón at second base, Jose Altuve off to the side chatting with Joe Espada pic.twitter.com/zys5yP1ySI
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 17, 2025
Though he will turn 35 in May, Altuve still covered 27.1 feet per second when he sprinted last season. The league average is 27.2. Both Altuve and team officials believe he has enough speed to chase down anything in his vicinity while his natural athleticism will help his first step and reads.
Altuve had one of the weakest infield arms in baseball last season. Adding more distance won't help that, though there's optimism that the momentum Altuve can generate prior to his throws will help mask it. So will having Jake Meyers, an American League Gold Glove finalist last season, in center field most nights.
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Still, it's not a perfect setup. Altuve has never played a professional inning in the outfield. Experiments like this aren't normal for teams with championship aspirations, which Altuve is adamant this one will have.
'The goal remains the same, which is winning,' Altuve said. 'We're going to go ahead and do it.'
Three more of Altuve's longtime teammates departed this winter — one for a better payday and two others the Astros themselves weren't interested in paying. Altuve implored his bosses to buck that convention for Bregman, a man he claimed 'made this entire organization better' across his nine-year career.
Owner Jim Crane acknowledged Altuve's words 'carried weight' with both him and general manager Dana Brown. Still, the team's six-year, $156 million offer fell short of what both Boston and the Detroit Tigers offered Bregman.
'He signed a great deal, man. $40 million (average annual value), not a lot of players can get that and he got it,' Altuve said. 'We're happy for him, but we have to move on and focus on the players we have here.
'We offered him a good deal, but with free agents, you never know. You don't know. At the end, he signed a great deal. I'm super happy and I know everyone in here is happy for him. He deserved it. He worked hard for that and he got it.'
As a result, Altuve stands alone. No other position player remains from the 2017 Astros, the polarizing club that catalyzed this golden era. No better ending to that season existed than Altuve scooping Corey Seager's ground ball at second base and sending his team into delirium.
The eight years that have elapsed have felt like 80. Scandal threatened to derail the dynasty. So did the departures of everyone around Altuve, who will still author seminal moments, but maybe never from that same spot on the dirt.
'As long as I'm in the lineup,' Altuve said, 'I'll be happy and ready to play.'