Now that All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve is back in the Astros' lineup, what does that mean for Mauricio Dubón? That was the burning question when Altuve's name was inserted at the top of the Astros' lineup for the first time this season when they played the A's on Friday night at Minute Maid Park. Dubón started 35 of the Astros' 44 games at second while filling in for Altuve, who fractured his right thumb when he was hit by a pitch in the World Baseball Classic and underwent surgery. Dubón responded by slashing .309/.333/.389 and leads the team in hits (46) and runs scored (27). He had a 20-game hitting streak, which was the longest by an Astros player in a decade. His 1.3 bWAR is tied with Yordan Alvarez and Jeremy Peña for the team's most. "I can only control what I can control, but I'm always ready to play," said Dubón, who didn't play Friday. "It's no surprise, the success I'm having. It's just a matter of having the opportunity." Altuve's return pushed Dubón back to the bench role he held with the Astros last year. He's played three infield spots: third base, shortstop and second base, in his career, so there should be opportunities to get him in the lineup, including at designated hitter. Of course, Dubón immediately becomes the Astros' best bat off the bench on days he's not starting. "I'll get him in there," Astros manager Dusty Baker said. "He's a guy [who] can play a lot of positions. After we play six games [in a row] here, it will be 17 [consecutive games May 26-June 11], and he'll be playing all over the field. We've got to play him some to keep him sharp but also keep the other guys healthy and strong and sharp." One of the positions Dubón hasn't played in the Major Leagues is first base, which is where the Astros are getting their worst production. Houston is last in OPS at first base (.515), thanks to the struggles of José Abreu. Dubón received some defensive work at first base prior to Friday's game, but it's still unlikely he plays there much, if at all. "I'm really comfortable [coming off the bench]," Dubón said. "The defense is there and now the offense is there. I'm just staying ready and doing what I did last year." In addition to his offense, Dubón is tied with Cleveland's Andrés Giménez for second in the American League in defensive runs saved at second base (five) behind only the Rangers' Marcus Semien, according to FanGraphs. Altuve suggested Dubón should be an All-Star. "We're really lucky to have him, especially the way he played, the kind of teammate he is in the clubhouse," Altuve said. "He's a big part of this organization and he played second and he was really good. That's All-Star numbers. Hopefully, he'll continue to play and get a chance to go to Seattle [for the All-Star Game] this year." |
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Altuve's 1,935 hits are the most in Major League Baseball since he made his debut on July 20, 2011. Who has the second most? |
A. Miguel Cabrera B. Freddie Freeman C. Paul Goldschmidt D. Mookie Betts |
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We usually have a quote of the week from Baker in this space, but that's been replaced by what Altuve said Friday about Astros top prospect Drew Gilbert. Altuve and Gilbert were in the same lineup at Double-A Corpus Christi for Altuve's Minor League rehab assignment on Tuesday and Wednesday. And Gilbert, the team's first-round pick last year, made a strong impression. "He's ready, man," Altuve said. "Beautiful swing, he makes some good plays. I really love the way him and a few more guys on that team are ready to play in the big leagues, I can tell you that. If you want to see the future of the Astros, go there." Altuve should know. He made the jump from Corpus Christi to Houston on July 20, 2011, skipping Triple-A. |
Since taking over as Astros manager, Baker has seen more than a few of his former teammates, baseball friends and sports heroes die, a list that's topped by his mentor, Hank Aaron, who died on Jan. 22, 2021. The deaths of former Dodgers teammate Don Sutton, manager Tommy Lasorda and longtime Dodgers announcer Vin Scully hit Baker hard, along with the recent deaths of former A's pitcher Vida Blue and Cardinals announcer Mike Shannon. In Baker's first year as manager in Houston in 2020, Hall of Famers Al Kaline, Tom Seaver, Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Whitey Ford, Joe Morgan and Phil Niekro all died. Losing Dick Allen, Jay Johnstone, Bob Watson and Jimmy Wynn that year also touched Baker deeply. Lasorda, Sutton and Aaron died the next year. Baker grew up in Riverside, Calif., and considered the Los Angeles Lakers' Elgin Baylor, track legend Bob Hayes, the Dodgers' Tommy Davis, who later became his teammate, and Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown as his heroes. Brown died Thursday at 87 years old. "Guys I tried to emulate, they've all passed," Baker said. Baker met Brown, whom he called one of the premier athletes in the world, while he was living in Los Angeles and playing for the Dodgers. "He was one of my childhood heroes in football," Baker said. "I wrote six reports on Jim Brown coming up… I even got in trouble because I made up one and passed it on to my friend and the teacher wanted to read it, and she ended up getting all of us in trouble. That was a tough one." |
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Freeman, who debuted with the Braves in 2010, has 1,864 hits in 106 fewer at-bats than Altuve. |
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