Astros double down on Jose Altuve's position switch after signing former top pick

The chatter surrounding a position change for Houston Astros star Jose Altuve has been rumored all offseason. Most of it was previously attached to the idea of re-signing Alex Bregman, moving Isaac Paredes to second base, and shifting Altuve to left field.

But that notion lost a lot of steam last week after the Boston Red Sox signed Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract. Even Astros ace Framber Valdez threw cold water on the idea of Altuve moving to the outfield, saying. "I don’t think it’s going to happen. That’s just a lot of talk…second base or nothing.”

Astros double down on Jose Altuve's position switch after signing Brendan Rodgers

But the idea of Altuve moving to left field became even more real after Houston's latest free agent signing. According to Ari Alexander of KPRC2, the Astros reportedly signed former first-round draft pick Brendan Rodgers to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training.

Rodgers is former Gold Glove Award-winner who's fallen on tough times of late. After a fine year with the Colorado Rockies in 2022, Rodgers has endured back-to-back sub-par seasons in which not only his bat, but his defense suffered. A career .266 hitter with a .726 OPS, Rodgers was worth 3 outs above average (OAA) in 2022, but that number can dipped to a combined -2 OAA the past two seasons.

But Houston will be hoping for a bounce-back campaign from the former No. 3 overall draft pick. While Rodgers has experience at shortstop, his depleted range makes him almost exclusively a second baseman at this stage of his career. And while Rodgers' defense has taken a step back recently, Altuve's -9 OAA was among the worst in baseball last season.

When you combine the Astros' additions of Rodgers and Luis Guillorme, the idea of moving Altuve to left field seems like more than just a tryout. Throw in the recent observations from Astros insider Chandler Rome, and you can plainly see that Altuve may indeed be lining up in left field on Opening Day. During an appearance on Foul Territory, Rome told the podcast's hosts that, "This is a real thing."

Buckle up, Astros fans. What seemed like a pipe dream last month appears to be happening right before our eyes. Obviously the Astros coaching staff will want to see if Altuve can make the adjustment during the team's Grapefruit League games. It'll be interesting to see where the former AL MVP lines up when games get underway this weekend.

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