Photo: José Altuve — by Jeffrey Hayes, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0.
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — After a season that saw him spend extended time in the outfield, José Altuve is returning to familiar ground.
Astros manager Joe Espada confirmed that Altuve will spend the majority of spring training working at second base, the position he’s played for nearly his entire career. The goal is simple: restore consistency for one of the franchise’s most important players.
Altuve made it clear he welcomes the move.
“Normally, my seasons in the big leagues are more consistent,” Altuve said. “I feel like last year I had some times where I was really, really bad and some times where I was really, really good. There was a big separation between those two. It doesn’t feel good when it goes really bad. I’m looking for more stability, more consistency.”
A Shift That Never Fully Settled
The Astros experimented with Altuve in left field last season as they tried to balance the lineup and keep his bat in the order. On paper, it created flexibility. On the field, it never quite felt natural.
The longtime second baseman had moments of adjustment in the outfield, and the constant positional changes appeared to mirror the ups and downs in his production. While he still finished with 26 home runs and 77 RBIs across 155 games, his overall value dipped from the previous year, and the season was marked by stretches of both strong play and prolonged slumps.
As the year went on, Altuve gradually returned to second base more often, and now the club appears ready to keep him there.
Chasing Milestones — and a Return to October
With Yordan Alvarez expected to spend most of his time at designated hitter, the roster puzzle that contributed to last year’s shift is less of an issue. Altuve is expected to reclaim his role as the primary second baseman while other players see time around the infield during camp.
The move also comes at an important point in his career. Altuve enters the 2026 season closing in on 3,000 career hits, a milestone that would further solidify his legacy. Getting there will require both health and steady production — something he believes a return to second base can help provide.
The Astros, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back after narrowly missing the postseason in 2025. A more settled defensive alignment and a more consistent Altuve could play a key role in that effort.
For Houston’s longest-tenured position player, the path forward is straightforward: back to second base, back to routine, and back to the version of himself the Astros have relied on for more than a decade.