Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was willing to move to left field if it meant bringing back longtime teammate Alex Bregman, but those days are done in Houston.
Without Bregman, the Astros are moving forward with a spring training trial of Altuve in left field. He’s taking fly balls with outfielders and working at his typical spot, second base.
Houston did reach agreement on a minor league deal with second baseman Brendan Rodgers, the player selected third overall and one spot behind Bregman in the 2015 MLB Draft. A defensive whiz at second who won a Gold Glove with the Rockies in 2022, Rodgers is a former top prospect in the Colorado system. He was non-tendered at the end of last season, when he hit .267 with 13 home runs and 54 RBIs in 135 games.
Astros manager Joe Espada said it was premature to disclose any plans for the season and he doesn’t want to make Altuve’s spot in the field a matter of daily discourse.
“He will play some second base. Right now, it’s one day at a time,” Espada said. “I want to get some feedback from him before we discuss where we’re going to go next, but he will play some second base.”
Rodgers played only second base in Colorado the past three seasons but has 36 career games played at shortstop.
Houston added third baseman Isaac Paredes from the Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade in December. If Altuve is used in the outfield or as a designated hitter on a given day, utility infielder Mauricio Dubon could be in the mix at second along with Luis Guillorme, who signed with the Astros last week, and Rodgers. Paredes was used at first, second and shortstop in 2022 and 2023 with the Tampa Bay Rays but didn’t make an appearance at the middle infield positions in 2024 with the Rays and Cubs.
Bregman signed a three-year deal with the Boston Red Sox and is working through a perceived tug-of-war at third base with All-Star Rafael Devers. Red Sox manager Alex Cora downplayed reports that tensions were simmering between the two, sparked when Devers said he wasn’t moving to a new position on Monday.
Altuve, 34, has spent his entire career with Houston since making his major league debut in July 2011 at age 21. A Gold Glove winner in 2015, he is the active major league leader with 1,765 games at second base, including 1,749 starts. He has played in two games at shortstop for a total of six innings.
History is on the Astros’ side, having once moved Hall of Fame second baseman Craig Biggio to the outfield to make room for Jeff Kent.
Espada said prior to spring training that Altuve is capable of playing outfield.
“He’s so athletic, and he can do some things on the baseball field that a lot of people can’t do,” Espada said. “If we get there, we’ll have that conversation with him. He wants to do whatever it takes to win. It’s important to us. I think he’s a cornerstone on this team. He’s the heart of the organization. He understands that, but when we get to that point, we’ll have that conversation with him.”
