Jose Altuve Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported that he underwent minor surgery on his right foot this afternoon. This suction drained fluid from the injury between his fourth and fifth toes. This shouldn’t affect his preparation for spring training.
Altuve struggled with foot discomfort in the final weeks of the season. Soreness caused him to miss one game in mid-September, but Altuve did not appear on the injured list as the Astros battled for a playoff spot. He didn’t shut it down until they were officially eliminated with two games left in the season. Altuve wasn’t particularly efficient playing while injured, hitting .218/.295/.385 in the final month.
It’s been a down season for the nine-time All-Star. Altuve still hit 26 home runs with a solid .265/.329/.442 batting line, but his on-base average and on-base percentage were their lowest for a full season in more than a decade. Altuve had a solid July, hitting .363 with five long throws, but was otherwise a mediocre contributor. His OPS every other month was .745 or lower.
It’s no surprise that Altuve’s numbers started to decline as he entered his 30s. He’s still a good hitter, but he’s no longer the MVP-caliber bat he was in his prime. The bigger question going forward is how the Astros can minimize his defensive weaknesses. The Astros were increasingly unhappy with his second base job. They wanted to use him primarily in left field last season, reasoning that the short porch of the Crawford box at Big King Park would make up for mediocre range. However, Altuve didn’t naturally fit into the position, and captain Joe Espada once again used him primarily at second base at season’s end.
The Astros don’t have a good replacement at the cornerstone. rookie Bryce Matthews He had good overall numbers in Triple-A, but in minor league pitching, 28% of his plate appearances were strikeouts. He threw 20 punches in his first 13 major league games. Mauricio Dupont Is a quality defender with a light bat whose rising arbitration salary could make him a trade or non-tender candidate. MLBTR writer Matt Swartz projects the versatile utility prospect will make $5.8MM in his final year with the club. Ramon Urias Struggling after a deadline trade and will likely be cut in lieu of an arbitration projection of $4.4MM.
For now, that leaves Altuve as their primary option at second base. If they want, they can continue to give him some left field work and use him more often as a designated hitter Jordan Alvarez On the left side semi-regularly (especially at home). Offseason acquisitions could change things. They’ve long been interested in Cardinals trade candidates Brendan Donovan continue. tampa bay Brandon Lowe It may also be on the move and at the same time Gleyber Torres and willy castro Is the possibility of free agency.
