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New York Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
As Jacob Melton arrives, Jose Altuve will remain Astros' left fielder
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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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)
New York Times
30-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Yordan Alvarez's expected return to Astros' lineup prompts questions
HOUSTON — Hitting a backup catcher cleanup often comes amid catastrophe. Yet, on Thursday night, Victor Caratini took the duty for one of baseball's hottest offenses. No American League lineup awoke with a higher batting average, on-base percentage or weighted runs created plus in May than the Houston Astros. Advertisement That manager Joe Espada chose Caratini is no coincidence. Caratini brings balance to a roster that needs it and experience that few of the other cleanup candidates can match. Chances for Caratini can be few and far between. Such is the life of someone in his occupation, whose importance intensifies on days like Thursday. Yordan Alvarez remained on the injured list, and first baseman Christian Walker required a night off after being struck by a pitch on his right hand during Wednesday's game. That Caratini bypassed both Zach Dezenzo and Mauricio Dubón to start at first base in Walker's stead signaled how high he's ascended within the Astros' 26-man hierarchy. Yainer Diaz's difficult start to the season has almost forced it. So has an imbalanced roster that makes a switch hitting Caratini the only non-right-handed hitter Houston has any interest in playing. Another is nearing a return, perhaps by this weekend, prompting a plethora of questions. Whether Alvarez can play pain-free is foremost among them. Where he will hit within a surging batting order is another, but Espada tipped his hand Thursday. Since April 28, the day Jose Altuve asked to move out of the leadoff spot in favor of Jeremy Peña, only two American League lineups are extracting a higher OPS from the top three spots in their batting order than the Astros. Isaac Paredes, the team's three-hole hitter, paces Houston in every offensive category aside from batting average — which Peña leads. 'We started to pick up some steam and I'm really pleased where we're at overall, creating some opportunities for those guys in the middle to drive some people in,' Espada said Thursday. 'I do like that 1-2-3 punch. I might stay there, but we have to see once we get all those guys in there and see how everything flows, but right now, my plan is to keep it as is.' Advertisement The desire to get Caratini more consistent at-bats also becomes complicated, but it's a dilemma the club would love to confront. His offensive exploits have exceeded both internal and external expectations since signing a two-year deal last winter. Caratini entered Thursday with a .754 OPS across his Astros tenure, 80 points higher than what he posted during the seven seasons that preceded it. This season, only Peña and Paredes have a higher OPS among qualified Astros. Caratini has started 18 of Houston's 26 games in May. Espada had hit him fifth in six of his past nine starts before penciling him into the cleanup spot Thursday. Walker's absence forced Espada to do so, but that he batted him fifth so frequently before that didn't come out of sheer desperation. 'If for whatever reason a lefty comes into the game, I feel really good about his at-bats from the right side,' Espada said, perhaps hinting at the flawed roster he's been handed. Adding Alvarez atop the lineup — perhaps in the cleanup spot as Espada suggested — should serve the same purpose. That Alvarez has a higher career OPS against left-handed pitching may negate it. Opposing managers could live with Alvarez taking one plate appearance against a right-handed reliever if it meant those sandwiched around him — primarily Walker or Paredes — also face righties. Both Paredes and Walker have a career OPS over .780 against left-handed pitching. Last season, the presence of left-handed hitter Kyle Tucker near Alvarez in Houston's batting order erased that thought. Espada won't be pinch hitting for Walker or Paredes, either, somewhat minimizing Caratini's role if he returns to being a true backup catcher and playing sparingly. It would behoove Espada and the Astros to create more ways to utilize Caratini, especially if general manager Dana Brown can't find an external left-handed bat. Alvarez and Altuve will assume most of the designated hitter duties, but giving Walker an occasional day there could allow Caratini to play first base as he did Thursday. Advertisement Decreasing Diaz's playing time at catcher is perhaps the most drastic measure, one the organization isn't yet prepared to take, but must at least be in consideration. Only 16 qualified players entered Thursday with fewer wins above replacement than Diaz, according to FanGraphs. Diaz defines the term 'bat-first catcher,' but has posted just a .627 OPS across his first 189 plate appearances. Creating a more even playing time split could be prudent, but the club must be mindful of Caratini's health as a 31-year-old who has only twice caught more than 500 innings in a season. An answer may arrive in the corresponding roster move whenever Alvarez is activated. Optioning César Salazar to Triple-A Sugar Land will make it more difficult — but not impossible — for Espada to play both Caratini and Diaz in the same lineup. Demoting Chas McCormick or Dezenzo and keeping Salazar may offer insight into the club's plans. The exact time of that decision is unknown, fitting for Alvarez's ambiguous 26-day saga on the injured list. Thursday afternoon brought tangible progress that could precipitate an imminent activation. Alvarez took batting practice on the field Thursday afternoon and is scheduled to face minor-league pitchers in a simulated game at Daikin Park on Friday. Espada said the setup is in lieu of a minor-league rehab assignment. Through an interpreter, Alvarez said 'if everything goes well' against live pitching, he could return 'after that.' Whether Alvarez can swing pain-free for the rest of the season remains a mystery. Asked on Thursday whether he felt anything while hitting batting practice, Alvarez replied: 'That's a good question. I'm prognosticating tomorrow to hit against the pitchers, so if you see me tomorrow, it went well today.' 'We don't want to deal with this the rest of the season. Obviously this is something that's delicate,' Alvarez added. 'I could've returned before, but as soon as we saw the hand — how it reacted because of the inflammation — that's why it's been a little bit more time than I anticipated it to be.'
Washington Post
29-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Astros' Yordan Alvarez 'really close' to returning after hand injury
HOUSTON — Houston manager Joe Espada said Thursday injured slugger Yordan Alvarez is getting 'really close' to returning to the lineup after sitting out with a hand injury for almost a month. Alvarez, who has been out since May 3 with right hand inflammation, hit off a pitching machine Thursday before the Astros opened a four-games series with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Associated Press
29-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Astros' Yordan Alvarez 'really close' to returning after hand injury
HOUSTON (AP) — Houston manager Joe Espada said Thursday injured slugger Yordan Alvarez is getting 'really close' to returning to the lineup after sitting out with a hand injury for almost a month. Alvarez, who has been out since May 3 with right hand inflammation, hit off a pitching machine Thursday before the Astros opened a four-games series with the Tampa Bay Rays. 'He's getting really close,' Espada said. 'This is the best I've seen him and this is the best he's felt. So, really good news.' Alvarez is scheduled to hit about 50 pitches off minor leaguers Friday as he moves closer to his return. Espada said they're doing this so he can get game ready without going on a minor league rehabilitation assignment. 'That will be his way to kind of check that box and get ready for games,' Espada said. The biggest obstacle to getting Alvarez back on the field has been to keep the inflammation away as he's ramped up his activity. 'I felt good,' Alvarez said in Spanish through a translator after hitting Thursday. 'Now I just have to wait to see how the hand reacts to the hitting. So hopefully I can return soon.' Alvarez said it's been difficult to be out for so long for an issue that at first was supposed to only keep him out a few days. 'Obviously… it's been a little bit frustrating being on the IL because of my hand,' he said. 'This is not a secret how difficult it is for a hitter to be dealing with hand pain. I've played hurt before, but obviously now with inflammation it's a little bit different.' He said his time on the injured list has lasted longer than expected because they're trying to get him completely well so this isn't something he's dealing with for the rest of the season. 'This is something delicate,' he said. 'I could have returned before but as soon as we saw the hand and how it reacted because of the inflammation, that's why it's been a little bit more time than I anticipated.' ___ AP MLB:
Reuters
28-05-2025
- General
- Reuters
Astros 1B Christian Walker hit by pitch on hand; X-rays negative
May 28 - Houston first baseman Christian Walker was hit by a pitch on his right hand during Wednesday's home game, and X-rays came back negative, manager Joe Espada said after the Astros' 5-3 win over the Athletics. Athletics starter Luis Severino hit Walker with a 96 mph pitch to start the fourth inning. Walker was examined by a trainer and stayed in the game. He later scored on Cam Smith's single to tie the game 2-2. Walker played his position for the next two innings before he was replaced by pinch hitter Mauricio Dubon in the bottom half of the sixth. "It feels sore," Walker said after the contest. "It's just a matter of handling the inflammation and I should be good to go." Walker said the ball hit the knuckle of his middle finger. Signed as a free agent in December, Walker, 34, is batting .212 this season with seven home runs and 25 RBIs in 54 games in his first season with the Astros. He is a career .247 hitter with 154 homers and 468 RBIs in 886 regular-season games for the Baltimore Orioles (2014-15), Arizona Diamondbacks (2017-24) and Astros. --Field Level Media
