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Astros to sign former Mets utilityman as Jose Altuve's position change looms

Eric Cole
Eric Cole

Climbing Tal's Hill

Arizona Diamondbacks v San Francisco Giants / Thearon W. Henderson/GettyImages

Most Houston Astros fans probably did not have a Jose Altuve position switch on their 2025 bingo card, but here we are. Despite the fact that the chances of a reunion with Alex Bregman are nearing zero at this point, the Astros are still looking to get Altuve time in left field this coming season. Doing so without Bregman is an acknowledgement that Altuve's best days in the field are well behind him.

In order for such a plan to work, Houston needs to have some contingencies in place. Both Isaac Paredes and Mauricio Dubon are versatile defenders which helps the cause, and young players like Shay Whitcomb, Zach Dezenzo, and Brice Matthews are possible options as well.

But having a couple veterans around who can be relied upon defensively is not a bad idea, and is likely the reason why the Astros are signing Luis Guillorme to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.

Astros set to sign veteran Luis Guillorme to build up their infield depth

If you are hoping that Guillorme could be a diamond in the rough, you may want to temper your expectations. Guillorme put together a couple decent offensive seasons with the New York Mets, but he has swung a toothpick the last couple of years. At 30 years old, he is what he is at this point at the plate.

While his total lack of power and offensive shortcomings got him sent packing by the Mets, his defensive acumen at multiple positions managed to land him jobs with the Braves, Angels, and Diamondbacks since then.

For Houston, Guillorme is an easy and inexpensive gamble to make. He probably won't hit much at all, but does at least swing from the left side, making him an appealing spot starter against tough righties. Guillorme also adds to the Astros philosophy of emphasizing versatility which, in theory, should make building optimal lineups easier and protect against injuries to Houston's core group of infielders.

Where Guillorme may shine the most is during Altuve's transition to the outfield. With Guillorme around, assuming he breaks camp with the team, the Astros can gradually give Altuve innings late in games in left to allow him to acclimate to things out there and just slot Guillorme in as a solid defender at second. Assuming the Astros don't find a more permanent second base solution, Guillorme can then join the rotation of utility guys that get playing time as Altuve makes more and more starts in the outfield.

Is there a chance that Guillorme's bat is so cooked that the Astros opt to just not carry him at all? Of course. However, as a minor league deal with basically zero downside, it is still a move worth making.

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Eric Cole

Eric Cole

I started my career writing about baseball covering the Atlanta Braves for SB Nation's Talking Chop back in 2015 which has since been renamed Battery Power. After years of writing for those fine folks, I made the decision to take over as Site Expert at House That Hank Built before becoming a full-time MLB Staff Writer for FanSided in 2023. Along the way, I have been a guest on multiple ESPN radio affiliates as well as 680 The Fan and 92.9 The Game to discuss Braves baseball and especially Braves prospects and was a long-time host on the Battery Power podcast. These days, I continue to write about the Braves as well as covering the Astros, Padres, and Angels with particular expertise with minor league coverage, the MLB Draft, and bashing Anthony Rendon when possible. When I am not writing about or talking about baseball (which is seldom), I am an avid baseball card collector (Maddux and Soroka being my primary personal collections) and I also collect shark teeth. All other sports are mostly dead to me as my Bills have broken my heart too many times.