Sep 14, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Mauricio Dubon (14) tries to complete a double play over Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (28) during the third inning at Truist Park. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Mauricio Dubón's Quiet Dominance Boosted Astros During 2025 Season

Originally posted on Houston Astros on SI
By Maria Aldrich | Last updated Oct 6, 2025 9:00 AM ET

With so many injuries plaguing the Houston Astros this season, manager Joe Espada has had his work cut out for him. The unfortunate circumstances of frequent visits to the IL required Espada to come up with a variety of configurations on the field — who is playing where, and when will they be playing?

One of the many struggles faced involved the infield and how Espada was going to fill in the holes. On the field, 35-year-old Jose Altuve found himself being pulled back and forth from second base to the outfield. This was his first year not playing at second base full-time. Despite the constant change-ups and defensive obstacles, he had a nice bat overall this year, slashing .265/.329/.442 with 26 home runs and 77 RBI.

Moving forward, many are hoping that Altuve will have a permanent home, which could potentially help boost Houston. With so much roaming around the diamond, it is incredibly difficult to improve in a specific area.

Mauricio Dubón's 2025 Campaign at Second Base

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

As a skilled utility player, 31-year-old Mauricio Dubón has truly been the whole package for Houston and spent a lot of his time at second base. Of course, there's always room for improvement, but he has proved himself to be a valuable asset for the franchise. Considering how much the Astros struggled this year, it's important for them to lean on their strengths, and Dubón is certainly one of them.

In fact, back in September, Jared Greenspan and Jason Foster of MLB.com predicted that he would have a Gold Glove Award coming his way due to his incredible ability to adapt to any given situation on the field. As they stated, "Dubón is the epitome of versatility, having started at every position but catcher and pitcher this season. Beyond that, it's not a stretch to call him one of the game's best fielders..."

During his 2025 campaign, Dubón slashed .241/.289/.355 and recorded seven home runs with 33 RBI. Between the numbers he's posted and his all-around aptitude as a utility player, he is an obvious choice for the award. This has not been a seamless season for anybody within the franchise, but it wasn't completely unpleasant.

Despite the ongoing uncertainty regarding the Astros and their disappointing season, second base was not at the top of their list of immediate concerns. The skill is there; it's a matter of showing consistency from game to game.

With Houston out of the playoffs, now is a good time for them to reflect on where things went wrong and how they can mend their faults moving forward.

This article first appeared on Houston Astros on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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