Houston Astros Second Baseman Ranked Among Game's Best Hitters

Is Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve one of the best hitters in baseball this season?

Sep 8, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) hits an RBI single during the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Minute Maid Park. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

It has been another good season for the Houston Astros as, despite dealing with injuries and a slow start to the year, they are once again in first place of the American League West. 

This season, they have relied on their pitching staff for a lot of their success.

Despite losing multiple starters for the year, and Justin Verlander being injured and struggling on the mound, the Astros have seen new players step up in expanded roles. 

While the pitching staff has been great, the lineup has also been doing well despite having key players miss time. 

Someone who has put together a great season once again for Houston has been second baseman, Jose Altuve.

Selected as an All-Star team for the ninth time, he is still playing at a very high level despite being 34 years old.

Recently, Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report ranked the top 50 hitters in baseball this season.

Making his list was Altuve, who came in ranked 41st. 

“We'll see whether his connection to the 2017 Astros dings him in the minds of some voters, but Altuve's resume coming into the season was already no-doubt-about-it Hall of Fame worthy. At this point, it's just a matter of how high he can climb on the list of the greatest second basemen of all time. With 28 doubles and a .304 batting average, Altuve was a deserving All-Star for the ninth time this season.”

It has been another outstanding campaign for Altuve, as the talented second baseman has continued to build upon his Hall of Fame resume.

This year, Altuve is slashing .302/.357/.450, with 19 home runs, 62 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. 

It looks like it is going to be another 20-20 season for Altuve in 2024, as he continues to play well despite being in the league for so long.

He is currently second on the team in batting average behind Yordan Alvarez, and his 20 stolen bases is a team-high. His advanced metrics are very solid as well, as he has totaled a 4.6 oWAR, and 3.6 WAR overall. 

Furthermore, the performance from Altuve certainly makes him worthy of being one of the top hitters in 2024.

Now, he will be aiming to finish off the season strong and have a great October as the Astros hope to compete for the World Series this year.