2025 Projection: Jose Altuve
A position change may be in the works for the face of the franchise
Last October I pointed out that Jose Altuve’s defense has fallen off a cliff over the last few years, never thinking he could end up being the left fielder Dana Brown has been searching for.
How much, if any, time Altuve sees in left field is to be determined as the roster firms up, but it’s clear Altuve is not what he once was defensively.
Altuve is still a force offensively, though his 83-point drop in slug year over year is something to watch, especially as he enters his age-35 season (he’ll be 35 in May).
The numbers below project a slight increase offensively, but Altuve will be a fascinating watch in 2025 if a position change becomes reality.
Such changes and the resulting mental gymnastics that could ensue are impossible to program into a projection model, at least for someone on my level.
While I don’t believe there’s any predictive value above “it’ll probably happen again”, the chart below is one of my favorites.
Except for the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Altuve’s actual batting average has greatly exceeded his expected average.
One does not stay “lucky” for 10 years.
Altuve is still the face of the franchise and one that is willing to change positions for the good of his team, which speaks volumes.
How that plays out in the field and if it affects his still potent bat is one of the most intriguing questions of the Astros 2025 season.
In 2024, Altuve registered a 3.9 fWAR and 8.5 Win Shares, which are projected to decrease by 7-8% in 2025.
Projected fWAR: 3.6
Projected Win Shares: 7.8
Further Reading:
