If you tune in for Friday's Houston Astros game, you might be in for a surprise once the camera pans to the outfield.
Astros second-base stalwart Jose Altuve is set to make his outfield debut then against the St. Louis Cardinals, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported on Wednesday.
Altuve has played the majority of his 14-year career at second base, having played only two games out of his 1,767 career outings at shortstop. He has never suited up in the outfield.
However, after some down years defensively at second, the 34-year-old has spent most of spring training practising drills in the outfield.
The original plan was to transition him to the outfield to prevent a logjam should the Astros re-sign Alex Bregman. However, even after third baseman Bregman joined the Boston Red Sox, the team seems set on getting Altuve reps to create additional outfield depth this upcoming season.
The move to left field may also benefit Altuve who — despite winning the Gold Glove in 2015 — has struggled mightily in recent years, finishing with minus-13 defensive runs saved the past two seasons.
However, standing at only five-foot-six, he appears set to become the shortest player at the position in MLB.
Despite struggling with his glove last season, Altuve's bat still put in the work, as he finished the season with .295/.350/.439 batting splits with 20 home runs, 65 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. He earned his seventh Silver Slugger award.
Houston has beefed up its infield in the off-season, preparing for the potential loss of Bregman. The Astros acquired third baseman Isaac Paredes in the deal that sent Kyle Tucker to the Cubs, signed first baseman Christian Walker to a three-year contract and recently added second basemen Brendan Rodgers and Luis Guillorme on minor-league contracts.
Mauricio Dubon, who finished with two defensive runs saved at second base last season, is set to get the majority of reps at the position.
Meanwhile, their outfield depth is not where it once was, as according to MLB.com's McTaggart, the Astros are hoping to limit Yordan Alvarez's at-bats to DH this year.
Altuve has spent the entirety of his 14-year career with the Astros and along with pitcher Lance McCullers, is the only holdover from the team's 2017 World Series-winning squad.
