Jose Altuve is learning on the fly in left field.
And sometimes, that means the former Houston Astros second baseman can struggle to look graceful at his new position.
That was true on Thursday in Spring Training action. Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera crushed a ball toward the left-field wall. Altuve went back to try and make a leaping catch, but he didn’t come down with the baseball.
After Altuve’s missed catch attempt, the ball ricocheted back into the field of play and Herrera wound up with a triple.
“I feel like every ball I get is going to be a new thing, something I’m going to learn and I’ll make the adjustments for the future,” Altuve told MLB.com. “We’ve just got to make adjustments quick and go from there.”
Jose Altuve with a “that’s why we have spring training” moment in left field pic.twitter.com/6k8YKvNvGE
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 13, 2025
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Why is Jose Altuve playing left field?
There are a couple reasons for the All-Star’s transition to the outfield.
They start with Yordan Alvarez, one of the best hitters on the planet. He started 53 games in left last year, which manager Joe Espada told reporters was “way too many.”
In order to keep Alvarez at full health and in the heart of the order, Houston is relying on Altuve to learn left field.
The Astros also want Mauricio Dubon in the lineup as much as possible, it appears, and he will see plenty of time at first base with Altuve in left field.
Jose Altuve left field history
Altuve has not played a single game in the outfield in his MLB career.
All 1,749 of his starts have come at second base. He has played as a defensive replacement at shortstop twice in his career.
Altuve hasn’t played the outfield in minor league ball or winter ball, either, with his only addition in those pasts being a bit of time at third base.
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