Replacing Altuve in Left Field Must Be Top Trade Priority for Astros at Deadline

The Houston Astros have been playing well of late, but there is still room for improvement.

Coming into the season, there was a lot of uncertainty about what the outlook for the team was going to be.

Due to a wild winter that saw a lot of roster changes, the Astros easily could have been a bad team in 2025. However, that doesn’t appear to be the case.

Houston is off to a better start than they had in 2024, which ended up in them winning the American League West.

Despite losing some key players like Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, Houston has found ways to win games.

However, while the record isn’t bad for the Astros, this is a team that can improve in a couple of different areas.

Where Should the Houston Astros Make Upgrades?

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the Astros need to improve in left field with the experiment of having Jose Altuve playing the position not going well.

“With Brendan Rodgers and Mauricio Dubón both struggling at the plate, shifting Altuve back to the infield and targeting a corner outfielder might be the best way to bolster a lackluster offense at the deadline.”

Even with Tucker on the team last year, the offensive production from the outfield wasn’t great for Houston overall. Losing a player of that caliber didn’t make things better, and the Astros didn’t get a clear replacement for him in the trade with the Chicago Cubs or in free agency.

With a hole in left field, Houston elected to try and move their All-Star second baseman, Jose Altuve, to the position.

Due to some declining defensive skills, moving Altuve was something that might have been considered even before Tucker was traded, but opening up a spot in left field allowed them to try it.

Even though he got off to a nice start offensively, the All-Star’s stats have dropped quite a bit of late. Currently, he is slashing .256/.302/.369 with four home runs and 14 RBI.

While those numbers aren’t on par with Altuve’s normal production, it is better than what his replacements at second base have provided. Recently, Altuve has been getting some starts at second, which could mean his time playing left field is coming to an end.

If that ends up being the case, it’s a clear need for the team to make an upgrade.

Arguably, this is a position that the team should have fixed going back to the winter and spring training, but they have been fortunate to get away with it.

As the Astros hope to remain a contender, trading for a solid corner outfielder makes a lot of sense.