Houston Astros icon Jose Altuve seems ready to step beyond his usual second base duties. According to longtime Astros reporter Chandler Rome, Altuve has been exclusively playing left field at the start of spring training a move that appears more than just an experiment.
During the offseason, both Altuve and the Astros hinted at a potential position shift if it helped keep Alex Bregman in Houston. However, even after Bregman signed with the Boston Red Sox earlier this month, Altuve continues to log reps in the outfield. “This is a real thing,” Rome emphasized on Foul Territory Tuesday.
Rome revealed that Altuve didn’t take a single ground ball during Tuesday’s session, instead spending all his time working in the outfield. “This isn’t just your typical spring training trial run,” Rome added, signaling that the Astros are seriously considering this transition. While Altuve has played multiple positions in his career including a brief stint at shortstop in 2016 and 2019 left field is uncharted territory for the 34-year-old veteran.
For a team with championship aspirations, relying on Altuve as a potential everyday outfielder raises concerns. Rome still expects him to spend most of the season at second base, but he also made it clear that the Astros plan to give him legitimate outfield reps during spring training and beyond.
Despite the uncertainty, Altuve appears fully on board with the transition. “He seems all for it,” Rome noted. “He’s excited and really eager to embrace this challenge.”
The big question now: Will Altuve’s outfield experiment help or hurt the Astros’ World Series chase?
