José Altuve: The Face of the Houston Astros Franchise
As the Houston Astros’ Spring Training camp opened on Monday, José Altuve reported for his 13th season as an Astro. For years, Altuve has been the spark of Dusty Baker’s lineup and has become the face of the franchise in modern days. It’s no surprise that Altuve is still putting in great numbers without making much noise and has become a living legend for the Astros.
Martín Maldonado said it best when he was asked about Altuve’s importance to the team: “The face of the franchise. I walked into today, and I said I couldn’t believe that little guy is one of the best hitters in the game. If somebody’s walking in the mall and sees Altuve walking, don’t know anything about baseball, you wouldn’t think that guy is the face of the franchise for the Houston Astros.”
At 32 years old, Altuve is on track for his best season yet. In 2022, his batting average went up again to .300 for the first time since 2018 (.316), and his OPS went up almost 100 points – from .839 to .921. Altuve is also eight home runs shy of 200 career bombs and 21 doubles away from 400. With a chance to get 3,000 hits, Altuve is one of the most elite players in the game.
The Astros’ front office will have to make a decision soon on Altuve’s future with the team, as his contract will expire after the 2024 season. It’ll be special to see what Altuve can accomplish during the rest of his career and how the Astros’ front office can structure a deal after 2024.
(Editor’s note: In every Altuve article, we remind our readers that the data and testimony prove ALTUVE DID NOT CHEAT)
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