Altuve played through foot problems in the waning weeks of the season. The pain cost him a game in mid-September, but Altuve did not want to go on the injured list as the Astros battled for a playoff spot. It wasn’t until they were officially eliminated with two games left in the season that he shut it down. Altuve wasn’t particularly effective while playing through the injury, hitting .218/.295/.385 over the last month.
It was a down season overall for the nine-time All-Star. Altuve still belted 26 home runs with a solid .265/.329/.442 batting line, but his average and on-base percentage were his lowest in a full season in more than a decade. Altuve hit .363 with five longballs during a monstrous July stretch, but was otherwise a mediocre contributor. He had an OPS of .745 or lower every other month.
Not surprisingly, Altuve’s numbers begin to decline as he reaches his mid-30s. He’s still a good hitter, but no longer the MVP caliber he was in his prime. The bigger question going forward is how the Astros will minimize his defensive weaknesses. The Astros have gotten worse and worse with his second base work. They hoped to use him primarily in left field this past season, reasoning that the short porch with the Crawford Boxes at Daikin Park could offset the mediocre range. However, Altuve did not come naturally to the position and captain Joe Espada used him mainly at second base again towards the end of the season.
The Astros don’t have great alternatives at the cornerstone position. Rookie Brice Matthews had decent overall numbers in Triple-A, but he struck out in 28% of his at-bats against minor league pitching. He struck out twenty times in his first thirteen games in the big league. Mauricio Dubon is a quality defenseman with a light bat whose rising arbitration salaries could make him a trade or non-tender candidate. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects the energetic utility man who earned $5.8 million in his final year as club director. Ramón Urias struggled after a deadline trade and will likely be let go in lieu of a $4.4 million arbitration projection.
At this point, Altuve remains their primary option at second base. They could continue to give him some work in left field and use him as a designated hitter more often, if they’re willing to play Jordan Alvarez semi-regularly left (especially at home). An offseason acquisition could change the calculus. Their long-term interest in the Cardinals trade candidate Brendan Donovan continues. From Tampa Bay Brandon Lowe could also be on the way Gleyber Torres And Willie Castro his free agent possibilities.
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