Jose Altuve is willing to get creative if it means keeping the gang together.
Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported Saturday that the Houston Astros star Altuve would be open to switching positions in order to accommodate a potential return in free agency of longtime teammate Alex Bregman. Rome adds that Altuve is even open to a move to left field, which the Astros are considering right now if they do indeed manage to bring back Bregman.
“For Alex, I’d do whatever,” Altuve was quoted as saying during the Astros’ annual FanFest this week. “He’s one of the best players in the whole league, but he’s definitely one of the best players on the team. We want him to stay, so whatever I have to do for him to stay, I’m willing to do it.”
The multi-time All-Star Bregman, who has been Altuve’s teammate in Houston for the last nine MLB seasons, looked all but certain to be headed elsewhere in free agency this offseason. The Astros even signaled an intent to move on by signing another righty power bat in Christian Walker and trading for Isaac Paredes to play Bregman’s usual third base position.
But Bregman still remains unsigned nearly three months into free agency, and the Astros have since circled back to his camp. If Bregman somehow ends up back with Houston, the team would keep him at third base while potentially moving Paredes to Altuve’s second base position and sticking Altuve in left field, Rome adds.
The former AL MVP Altuve has played 1,765 of his 1,767 career games at second base (with the other two coming at shortstop). But a move to very unfamiliar territory in the outfield could be coming as Altuve continues to try all that he can to keep Bregman in Houston.
