Astros Shocking Position Switch! All-Star Infielder to Make Dramatic Move to Outfield

With spring training nearly underway for the Houston Astros, the new-look team will be trying to bounce back from a disappointing campaign in 2024.

Coming into spring training, there are going to be plenty of questions to answer for the Astros. This was a team that saw a ton of change this winter and there are a lot of new faces.

Despite losing some key players, Houston will certainly be expecting to contend still in the American League. Before losing to the Detroit Tigers in the American League Wild Card, the Astros made the American League Championship Series for seven straight years.

The team certainly had the talent to reach that goal again last year, but ultimately the wild card round can be flukey.

With a lot of new faces and the team seemingly trying to rebrand a bit, some veterans might be asked to move around to do what’s best for the organization.

Chandler Rome of The Athletic recently wrote about Jose Altuve potentially moving into left field with or without the return of Alex Bregman.

“Re-signing Bregman would all but guarantee Altuve moves to left field, but even if Bregman goes elsewhere, the Astros can construct their roster to gradually move Altuve off the dirt,” he wrote.

In the blockbuster deal that sent Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs, two of the main pieces that they got back in return can play third base. This resulted in many believing that Bregman would certainly be signing elsewhere.

However, the former All-Star has still yet to sign, and Houston is still in the mix. If they did re-sign him, that would likely move Isaac Paredes to second base and Altuve to the outfielder.

Furthermore, it appears that whether the Astros re-sign their star third baseman or not, they plan on moving Altuve into the outfield gradually.

With a significant drop off in defensive abilities, moving the All-Star second baseman into the outfield makes sense. Even though left field in Houston has some quirks, the position overall is one of the easiest to play defensively.

Keeping Altuve’s bat in the lineup is key for the Astros and with Yordan Alvarez as the permanent designated hitter, they need to find a spot for the talented second baseman.

This move makes a lot of sense with or without Bregman. Cam Smith is the other third baseman that they received from the Cubs and a 2025 timeline for him isn’t out of the question.

Overall, getting Altuve work in the outfield this spring to help cover up his defensive inefficiencies makes sense. Also, if they find a way to bring back Bregman, the loss of Tucker all of a sudden is a bit easier to handle.