Dub¨®n ready for second base -- or anywhere else Astros need

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Mauricio Dubón likes to call himself a unicorn, and considering he became the first player in Astros history to start a game at seven different positions last year, his talents are definitely unique.

¡°I know the bat¡¯s going to be there so I take a lot of pride in my defense and it¡¯s paying dividends,¡± said Dub¨®n, the Astros¡¯ master of everything.

Dub¨®n¡¯s ability to play all four infield positions and all three outfield positions and play them well -- he won the 2023 Gold Glove in the American League for the utility position and was a finalist last year -- makes him as valuable to the Astros as anyone not named Yordan Alvarez or Jose Altuve. And despite Altuve moving to left field this season, it appears Dub¨®n will remain in his super utility role.

¡°He is the best at filling the gaps for an injury or if someone needs an off-day,¡± Astros manager Joe Espada said. ¡°He¡¯ll come off the bench and hit and he can go and play anywhere on the field. That¡¯s why he is the most valuable player when it comes to that. He¡¯s a Gold Glover, he can put the bat on the ball, he¡¯s a tough out. I like to keep that flexibility.¡±

That¡¯s fine with Dub¨®n, who last year started 44 games in left field, 18 in center field, 11 in right field, nine at first base, 13 at second base, nine at third base and three at shortstop. Dub¨®n and Cleveland¡¯s Gabriel Arias were the only players in the Major Leagues last season to start games at seven different positions.

¡°There¡¯s not many people that do what I do very well,¡± he said. ¡°I take pride in that, too. You get plugged into second base, I¡¯m one of the best second basemen defensively over there. However they¡¯re going to use me, I¡¯m excited to be part of it. I¡¯m good with whatever Joe decides.¡±

In the second half of 2022, Dub¨®n became the personal center fielder of ace pitcher Justin Verlander. In '23, he began the season as the starting second baseman after Altuve broke his thumb in the World Baseball Classic and missed the first 43 games. Dub¨®n responded with a 20-game hitting streak.

¡°I tell people all the time, it just doesn¡¯t look as easy as people think -- the wear and tear of the body, the changing of the arm angles, the different preparation,¡± he said. ¡°You switch your brain from left to first and then go back to the outfield, it¡¯s different. I¡¯ve been doing it for a while now so I kind of have an idea. It¡¯s fun because you¡¯re kind of like a unicorn a little bit.¡±

Espada said Friday he¡¯s not committed to Altuve in left field, though the nine-time All-Star second baseman has yet to appear in a game at second base this spring. The Astros have three non-roster players -- Luis Guillorme, Brendan Rodgers and Zack Short -- in camp who are capable of playing second base.

Dub¨®n, 30, knows he could handle second base daily like he did early in the '23 season, but he still isn¡¯t so sure Altuve won¡¯t return to second base at some point.

¡°We¡¯re just keeping it warm for him,¡± he joked. ¡°That¡¯s how we view it.¡±

Dub¨®n, who was acquired from the Giants on May 14, 2022, in exchange for catcher Michael Papierski -- an under-the-radar steal of a deal for Houston -- has also emerged as a clubhouse and fan favorite. His locker at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches is in the same corner as Alvarez, Altuve and Jeremy Pe?a.

After Kyle Tucker was traded to the Cubs in December, Dub¨®n took over the duties as the team¡¯s clubhouse DJ. Each morning, he sets the mode with a music playlist that¡¯s as versatile as his game.

¡°He¡¯s easy to love,¡± Espada said. ¡°He¡¯s a guy that loves to play the game. His story is one that reaches a lot of people in the Latin community. His voice, his presence in the clubhouse, it¡¯s felt every single day. It¡¯s easy to love Dub¨®n. He cares about winning. He¡¯s not just a good player on the field, he¡¯s just an incredible human being.¡±