Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve added another milestone to a historic career, recording his 2,500th hit on Wednesday. Altuve, 36, has played all 16 of his MLB seasons with the Houston Astros, and will definitely find himself in Cooperstown after the end of his illustrious career. A nine-time All-Star and an MVP winner, Altuve has 270 homers in his career and is 67 RBIs shy of reaching the 1,000 mark.
One of the most dominant players of the 2010s, Altuve is one of just five second basemen to have 250 homers and 2,500 hits in his career. Altuve's production over the last few years isn't what it used to be, but he still provides league average value when he steps into the batter's boc. He has 15 homers and 44 RBIs on the year, posting a .701 OPS, which is his lowest since playing just 48 games in the shortened 2020 season.
His defense is also struggling as of late, posting a minus-8 fielding run value and a minus-9 outs above average on the season. That being said, he is still a cornerstone of this Astros team and isn't likely to go anywhere for the remainder of the season and postseason. Despite the lack of production from one of their star men, the Astros are still firmly in the driver's seat in a disappointing AL West this year.
Their 74-71 record is the worst of any division leader in MLB, and the only team with a shot at catching them at this point is the Texas Rangers, who have a 72-74 record. All signs point to yet another postseason appearance for Altuve, though the Astros could find some trouble in dealing with some of the other teams who will each the playoffs. The AL East is incredibly competitive this season, with each of the top three teams in the division, the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, putting together impressive seasons.
If the Astros are to make a run for the World Series, the white team will have to take a step forward.
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