The Astros and Jose Altuve have signed a five-year extension, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic (X hyperlinks). It is going to go into impact subsequent 12 months and run via 2029. It’s a $125MM assure for the Boras Company consumer, per Ari Alexander of KPRC 2. Bob Nightengale of USA In the present day was amongst these to relay the breakdown, which is a $15MM signing bonus adopted by $30MM salaries within the first three years and $10MM salaries within the remaining two. “Jose Altuve can be an Astro for all times,” the membership posted on X.
It isn’t precisely a shock to see the 2 sides come collectively on a deal. Dana Brown was employed because the membership’s normal supervisor in January of 2023 and nearly instantly spoke on the document about how he hoped the membership would be capable of lock up core gamers, together with Altuve. Shortly thereafter, he stated that Altuve “ought to be in Houston for all times.” It was simply a few days later that Altuve himself stated “I hope to retire right here, so I feel we’re on the identical web page.” It was in March that Brown pushed the brakes a little bit, saying that the extension talks would possible be pushed to after the 2023 marketing campaign, with a deal now coming to fruition. This new extension will run via 2029, which can be Altuve’s age-39 season.
That is the third time that Altuve and the Astros have signed an extension, which has saved him with the workforce as so many others have come and gone. Pretty or unfairly, that has made him the face of the franchise, which is a double-edged sword. For supporters of the membership, he gives a via line from their depressing rebuilding years at first of the earlier decade to their unbelievable run of current success, which features a pair of World Collection titles and 7 straight ALCS appearances. For a lot of others round baseball, his accolades stay tarnished the 2017 sign-stealing scandal.
Nonetheless one feels about Altuve’s legacy, there’s no query he stays one of many sport’s finest offensive gamers. An atypically poor exhibiting in the course of the shortened 2020 season appeared as if may sign the beginning of a decline. That hasn’t been the case. Altuve rebounded with 31 homers and a .278/.350/.489 exhibiting in 2021. He has been even higher during the last two seasons. He raked at a .300/.387/.533 clip with 28 homers via 604 journeys to the plate two seasons in the past.
A thumb fracture sustained when he was hit by a pitch in final 12 months’s World Baseball Traditional saved Altuve off the sector for the primary couple months of the 2023 season. He returned in the course of Might, and whereas his season was once more paused in July by a light indirect pressure, he was no worse for put on when in a position to take the sector. Altuve ran a stellar .335/.404/.544 line within the second half and completed the 12 months with a .311/.393/.522 mark in 410 plate appearances. He completed with one other glorious playoff efficiency, knocking 4 residence runs whereas hitting .286 in 11 video games.
For the reason that begin of the 2021 marketing campaign, Altuve is a .294/.374/.513 hitter. That offensive productiveness is 47 share factors higher than league common, as measured by wRC+. That’s simply the perfect hitting efficiency by any second baseman within the league and a prime 10 mark amongst all certified batters. Altuve stays as troublesome as ever to strike out and has posted his two highest single-season stroll charges inside the final two years.
To the extent that the eight-time All-Star has proven any indicators of getting older, that’s restricted to the opposite aspect of the ball. Altuve has by no means been a fantastic defensive second baseman. His glovework has dipped lately, though the extent of that drop-off differs relying on the metric. Statcast has graded Altuve round league common. Defensive Runs Saved, then again, estimates that he has been a mixed 28 runs worse than a mean defensive second baseman during the last two years.
Extra to come back.