HOUSTON -- Jose Altuve didn¡¯t hesitate last winter when Astros manager Joe Espada asked him to make the move from second base to left field. So it was only fair that Espada agreed to listen to Altuve when he suggested last week that he should hit second in the lineup on occasion.
After hitting leadoff in the first 26 games he played this season, Altuve was in the No. 2 slot Monday night against the Tigers and went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, including driving in leadoff hitter Jeremy Pe?a with a go-ahead, two-run homer off Jack Flaherty in the sixth inning of an 8-5 win.
¡°Altuve said he suggested the move, in part, to give him more time to run into the dugout from left field after the half-inning so can have more time to prepare to bat. Altuve started 1,749 career games at second base prior to moving to left field in the spring.
I think it¡¯s going to give me more time to come back from left field,¡± Altuve said. ¡°I think Jeremy is doing really good. He¡¯s very dynamic on the bases. We¡¯re just trying to make the team better, and I think this is going to be one of those things where you¡¯re going to realize everything is going to be better.¡±
Pe?a, who went 2-for-4 with a double, hit leadoff for most of his life before reaching the Major Leagues, so it¡¯s not a foreign concept. He likes the fact he could get more fastballs at the top of the order and more at-bats than the second spot.
¡°It¡¯s awesome when you know you have a future Hall of Famer hitting after you, so you know pitchers are going to attack you different,¡± Pe?a said. ¡°It¡¯s always great to have that protection behind you.¡±
Altuve has been Houston¡¯s primary leadoff hitter since George Springer left after the 2020 season, with a few exceptions. He batted second nine times in a 10-game span in June 2023. In 2018, he batted second 52 times and third 78 times, but hasn¡¯t hit primarily second since AJ Hinch moved Springer to the leadoff spot on May 24, 2016.
¡°Jose always brings up really, really good ideas,¡± Espada said. ¡°Really good. He pays attention to the game. He is always looking for ways to get everyone involved. And when he¡¯s playing left field, he comes in and maybe it gives him a little bit more time to get ready between at-bats.
¡°There¡¯s a lot of things that went into this decision. He¡¯s been around, he knows himself better than anyone else here. Hopefully, this could create some opportunities for everyone and we could score more runs.¡±
Pe?a¡¯s improved plate discipline this year has made Espada more willing to make the switch, too. Last year, Pe?a had a 17.1% strikeout rate and 3.8% walk rate. He has improved those numbers this year to 14.5% and 8.2%.
¡°Huge because if he continues to get on base, he can run,¡± Espada said. ¡°Altuve likes to actually hit behind runners [because it] creates holes or just draws the infield in. Altuve could potentially bunt. There¡¯s something about a different look for Altuve that I like about this. Hopefully, it carries us and we can get our offense going.¡±
Altuve gushed about the strides Pe?a has made at the plate this year, so much so that he said the Astros should explore signing him to a long-term contract extension. Altuve late last season implored the Astros to re-sign Alex Bregman, who wound up signing with the Red Sox.
¡°I think he¡¯s more mature,¡± Altuve said. ¡°He¡¯s a guy that works hard, plays hard, shows up every day willing to go and play, willing to learn. And when you combine all those things, you¡¯re going to have a great year. You¡¯re going to become a superstar. He¡¯s a very valuable player for us. I¡¯m very surprised he¡¯s not signed to a long-term deal with the Astros. He¡¯s a guy that you really want on your team.¡±
Pe?a, who was the American League Championship Series and World Series Most Valuable Player as a rookie in 2022, has a slash line of .391/.417/.478 in his last six games.
¡°He¡¯s taking really good at-bats; he¡¯s very explosive and very dynamic on the bases,¡± Altuve said. ¡°When he gets on base, a lot of things can happen. Maybe I can bunt him over so Yordan [Alvarez] can drive him in.¡±