As Jacob Melton arrives, Jose Altuve will remain Astros' left fielder

New York Times

a day ago

PITTSBURGH — Major League Baseball introduced its All-Star fan balloting Wednesday with a familiar sight. Atop an alphabetical list of second-base candidates sat Jose Altuve, elected in four previous seasons as the American League's starter at the position.
Each team is responsible for submitting its players at their respective positions. Altuve appearing among the second basemen may be nothing but a procedural move that the Houston Astros hope will garner more Midsummer Classic votes for the face of their franchise.
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Given the scarcity of other second-base candidates, it is a shrewd decision, even if it does not align with the Astros' reality. Across their first 61 games, Altuve has started at second base 14 times.
That six of those starts have come within Houston's last 15 games prompts understandable speculation. So did the promotion of touted outfield prospect Jacob Melton last weekend, and his two consecutive starts in left field against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday and Wednesday.
None of this is affecting a plan that Houston enacted this winter and wants to see through. Altuve is — and will remain — the Astros' primary left fielder, even with a sudden surplus of more natural, athletic outfielders around him.
'I'm still planning to do the same amount of games in second base and left, DH him some,' Joe Espada, Astros manager, said before Wednesday's 3-0 loss at PNC Park.
'Trying to map it out enough where I can also keep him fresh and keep his bat in the lineup.'
Part of that plan includes not exposing Altuve to places like PNC Park, which features one of baseball's most cavernous left fields. Playing him there Thursday behind ground-ball expert Framber Valdez would be logical, just as it was to start Melton in left field Tuesday and Wednesday.
Altuve has still started 32 of his first 59 games in left field. Thirteen other times, he's served as Houston's designated hitter. A number that's perhaps inflated by Yordan Alvarez's monthlong absence, but still beneficial for a man who turned 35 last month. Bear in mind that Altuve started just five games last season at designated hitter.
Altuve's selflessness in switching positions isn't lost on team officials, who want to reciprocate by creating as much consistency for him as possible. Performing an about-face on an agreed-upon plan is the antithesis of that. It can't be overstated, either, how much the challenge of playing somewhere new energizes Altuve.
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Watching him play the position for two months demonstrates it. A sly smile will appear after he makes a catch that seemed in doubt. Some teammates have mused that Altuve is more amped after a solid defensive play than anything he produces offensively.
After Altuve threw out Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh at home plate last month, Espada spent some of his postgame news conference taking umbrage with social media posts that pointed out Altuve's weak throwing arm. Altuve has bought in, so the entire ballclub has followed suit and thrown support behind him.
Other underlying metrics paint a poor picture of Altuve's defense, which is undeniable. According to Sports Info Solutions, Altuve is worth fewer defensive runs saved than any left fielder in baseball. He has been worth minus-3 outs above average, according to Baseball Savant. Only six left fielders are worse.
Generally, defensive metrics reward remarkable plays. Altuve hasn't made any, but it's worth examining how many chances he's had. Baseball Savant labels fly balls with a zero to 25 percent catch probability as '5-star' catches. Those with 26 to 50 percent catch probability are called '4-star.'
Altuve has gotten six total chances on 5-star or 4-star balls this season. He hasn't converted any of them.
Altuve has received 51 total chances in left field during his 32 starts. No left fielder with at least 30 starts has fewer — accentuating the entire point of this experiment. Getting Altuve away from the middle of most defensive action has worked.
Doing so has strengthened one of Houston's most glaring weaknesses. With Altuve at second base for 146 games, Houston's infield finished last season worth minus-19 outs above average, according to Baseball Savant. After two months of this season, it is already worth plus-12. No American League infield has been worth more.
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Houston does have better defensive options on its roster. Mauricio Dubón is a utility Gold Glove winner. Chas McCormick is more accomplished, though he is on the injured list with an oblique strain. Melton is a marvelous defensive center fielder with enough athleticism to translate into a corner spot, even if he had started just 17 professional games in left field before Tuesday.
'Just trying to treat it like center — I think that can ease the transition a little bit,' Melton said. 'I played the corners a decent amount in the minor leagues here, obviously more right than left. The early work I can get in before the games is going to be very important just to get some comfortability in over there.'
That Melton's ailing back must still be monitored is a factor in this discussion, too. Both Espada and general manager Dana Brown have acknowledged that Melton was playing on a strict schedule at Triple-A Sugar Land to manage the injury. They'll maintain that in the major leagues, meaning Melton is a part-time player behind Altuve — a left fielder everywhere but the exhibition ballot.
(Top photo of Jose Altuve: Justin K. Aller / Getty Images)