Astros plan to deploy Jose Altuve in LF for most of 2025 season

Astros plan to deploy Jose Altuve in LF for most of 2025 season

Houston Astros veteran Jose Altuve has been one of MLB’s best second baseman for the last decade. But we will be seeing the 34-year-old playing a new position for most of the 2025 MLB season, according to manager Joe Espada.

“Right now, the plan is for him to play the majority of his games in left field, and the days that he plays second base opens the door for Yordan (Alvarez) maybe getting a start in left field, someone getting a DH day,” Espada said, according to the Houston Chronicle’s Matt Kawahara. “So, this move allows us to be creative and do stuff like that.”

Espada: "Right now the plan is for him to play the majority of his games in left field, and the days that he plays second base opens the door for Yordan maybe getting a start in left field, someone getting a DH day. So this move allows us to be creative and do stuff like that." https://t.co/wBuSZsO0Gy

— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) March 3, 2025

According to FanGraphs, Altuve’s only logged six of 15,225 career innings outside of second base–and that was at shortstop. He’s never touched the outfield.

There have been clips surfacing of him tracking fly balls throughout spring training.

"He does have enough arm strength to play LF. In some relay throws he has shown arm strength and accuracy."
Here's Jose Altuve today in left field, also making throws. Players working on "I got it!"
Many of you have been wondering about Jose's arm; asked Joe Espada. #Astros @KHOU pic.twitter.com/jwSDrnHS7T

— Jason Bristol (@JBristolKHOU) February 19, 2025

The longtime middle infielder has graded as one of MLB’s worst defensive second baseman over the last three seasons, logging a minus-31 defensive runs saved with minus-six outs above overage over the last three seasons. Giving the team more positional flexibility–after Houston traded Kyle Tucker and acquired Isaac Paredes, Brendan Rodgers and Christian Walker–is important.

“We all agreed that it would be a good idea and would give the team more flexibility to play other guys everywhere,” Altuve recently told MLB Network’s Cliff Floyd. “I like it.”

"We all agreed that it would be a good idea and would give the team more flexibility… I like it."@astros legend Jose Altuve details his move to left field, how lonely it is out there, and using Marwin Gonzalez's glove in the meantime 😅#MLBTonight | @CliffFloyd30 pic.twitter.com/BOeK5akh9g

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 2, 2025

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The Astros have a short left field wall with the Crawford boxes, so that shouldn’t be too strenuous on his legs–which are weapons on the basepaths. I am curious to see how his arm strength translates from second–where you don’t need much arm strength–to the outfield. He never appeared to have a bad arm, but it’s difficult to judge, given the position he held down for 14-plus seasons.

In 153 games last season, Altuve slashed .295/.350/.439 (.790 OPS) with 20 home runs, 65 RBIs and 31 doubles. His slugging percentage was the lowest over a full season (min. 130 games) since 2013, while his OPS+ (126) was the lowest since 2015.

This should be quite an adjustment, but Altuve is a consummate professional. Hats off to him for making the change for the betterment of the team regardless of what his strengths and weaknesses are.

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