The concept of moving from second base to left field first emerged when the Astros reengaged with late in the offseason. USA Todays Bob Nightengale reported at the time that there were talks of re-signing Bregman, sliding from third base to second base and shifting Altuve to the outfield. Many initially took that with a heavy dose of skepticism; Altuve, after all, has played all of six major league innings at a position other than second base and they were all at shortstop. As Houston bra s continued to paint a Bregman reunion as a long shot, however, they kept getting Altuve work in left field. Both manager Joe Espada and GM Dana Brown spoke about wanting to get some looks at Altuve in left and wanting to reduce s time on the outfield gra s. Even when Bregman signed in Boston, the Altuve/left field experiment continued to progre s. The position change seems le s like an experiment and more like a reality by the day, and Trevor Ariza Jersey Espadas latest comments only further that shift. Speaking to the Astros beat this morning, Espada left open the door for Altuve to get some playing time at second base but also suggested it will no longer be his primary position ( ). Right now, the plan is for [Altuve] to play the majority of his games in left field, Espada stated. The days that he plays second base opens the door for [Alvarez] 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. Espada added that frequently shuttling Altuve back-and-forth between the two positions is something that I am going to avoid. The second-year manager stopped short of outright proclaiming Altuve the Astros new everyday left fielder, but it certainly seems things are trending in that direction. Altuve is a former Gold Glove winner at second base, but his defense has declined considerably as hes entered his mid-30s. Defensive Runs Saved has pegged him at -13 or worse in each of the past three seasons. Statcasts Outs Above Average isnt as down on Altuves glovework during that three-year period but does agree hes been a negative since 2023, including a particularly rough -8 mark in 2024. Thats problematic in and of itself, but its particularly egregious when Houston has one of the best second base defenders in the sport (statistically speaking) on its roster already. hasnt even logged a full seasons worth of second base innings in his career, but in 1154 frames at the position hes been credited with 12 DRS and 8 OAA. The Astros also inked longtime Rockies second baseman , another plus defender at second base, to a minor league deal and invited him to camp. At the very least, when ground-ball pitchers like and are starting games Valdez is the top ground-ball starter in the sport over the past three seasons it makes sense to have a superior defender in there. Either Dubon or Rodgers would fit the bill. Espadas comments make it sound like Altuve is being pushed to left field more frequently than that, however. Houstons decidedly lackluster outfield mix is surely a factor as well. Owner Jim Crane seemed determined to dip under the luxury tax threshold after paying the tax in 2024, and as a result the outfield looks thinner than at any point in recent memory. The Astros traded their final season of control over to the Cubs in a deal netting new third baseman , rotation candidate and new top prospect . With Tucker gone and Alvarez ticketed for more DH time in 25, Altuve joins a mix of , and free agent signee in the outfield. There are still a handful of interesting free agents out there or could fit the Stros but Cranes preference is to remain south of the $241MM tax threshold; the Astros are currently at $236.8MM, . If Altuves outfield move yields early dividends, its easy enough to see it becoming a permanent arrangement. The nine-time All-Star is entering the first season of a five-year, $125MM extension signed 13 months ago. Hes owed $30MM each year from 2025-27 before his salary greatly reduces to $10MM per season in 2028-29. That extension also came with a $15MM upfront signing bonus that has already been paid out. Chris Paul Jersey