3 teams most infuriated by Astros' Jose Altuve extension

The Houston Astros made their fanbase very happy earlier this week. The Astros signed second baseman Jose Altuve to a five-year, $125 million contract extension that will keep the former MVP in Houston for the rest of his career.

There was some mild uncertainty heading into this year about whether or not a deal would ultimately get done. Altuve was entering the final year of his previous contract extension with the club, and could have become a free agent next winter.

While this contract extension is sure to be hailed as a wild success by almost everyone within the Astros organization, there are other teams, and their fans, who undoubtedly hated hearing about Altuve's new deal. Which three teams are most infuriated by Altuve's new contract?

3 teams most infuriated by Astros' Jose Altuve extension

1. Boston Red Sox

Astros fans may be curious as to why the Boston Red Sox are even on this list. Did the 2021 ALCS sting Sox fans that much? It's not like they didn't handle business back in 2018. Boston hasn't been a dogged rival of Houston's over the years.

But during an interview on The Baseball Insiders podcast last year, Altuve mentioned his affinity for the city of Boston. He spoke about close proximity between the Red Sox fans and the players in the on-deck circle and some pleasant fan interactions that he enjoyed while playing at Fenway Park.

There's also a giant void at second base and the lack of star power on the Red Sox roster at the moment. Boston already traded Chris Sale earlier this offseason and watched Xander Bogaerts join the San Diego Padres last winter. Aside from Rafael Devers, and maybe Triston Casas, there's not a lot to get excited about in Boston. The team's fanbase is getting restless, and they're hungry for a winner.

Had Altuve reached free agency next offseason, perhaps the Red Sox would have entertained adding the the eight-time All-Star to their roster. But Red Sox fans will have to set their sights on other potential free agent upgrades, as Altuve is now an Astro for life.

2. New York Yankees

Obviously the New York Yankees are going to make the list. Perhaps the most intense rivalry outside of Red Sox-Yankees, at least at the moment, is Astros-Yankees. New York has made the American League Championship Series three times in that last seven seasons, but each time, the Yankees have been bounced by Jose Altuve and the Astros.

The Astros' sign stealing scandal of 2017 only adds more fuel to the fire, as Yankees fans will erupt with chants of, "Cheaters, cheaters, cheaters!" But that's like water off a duck's back for the Houston faithful. After all, in 2022, the Astros swept the Yankees right out of the postseason without a lick of controversy.

The fans in New York, just like the those up the way in Boston, are becoming increasingly frustrated by the Astros' dominance over the last several seasons. After 2019's playoff exit, the Yankees signed Gerrit Cole to a massive free agent contract. But Cole's presence wasn't enough to put the Yankees over the top in 2022.

Brian Cashman decided to go all in this offseason and swung a trade for Juan Soto. Maybe he's the missing piece. The Yankees are hopeful that will be enough to get them back to the World Series; a place they haven't been since 2009. That was so long ago, the Astros were still in the National League.

Astros fans can be sure that if there was one organization and fanbase who hated hearing that Jose Altuve was headed back to Houston, it was the Yankees. Much like the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls did to the New York Knicks during the early-90s, the Astros have kept the Yankees from advancing in the postseason. The Astros are the Yankees' kryptonite.