Houston Astros Second Baseman Wins Seventh Career Sliver Slugger Award

The Houston Astros legend has won yet another Silver Slugger award following his impressive season at the plate.

Oct 1, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) takes batting practice before playing against the Detroit Tigers in game one of the Wild Card round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Minute Maid Park. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros didn't win any awards as a team this season, but individual players are starting to receive some honors.

Astros star second baseman Jose Altuve has been given the 2024 AL Silver Slugger Award for his position, the league announced on Tuesday night.

It will be his seventh time winning the award in his career and first since 2022. He won it five times in a row from 2014 to 2018.

"A vote of MLB managers and coaches decides the Silver Slugger Award winners. They cast ballots for the players they determine to be the best offensive producers at each position in their respective league," said the league in a press release. "Each team receives four votes: the manager and three coaches of their choice. Votes are based on a combination of offensive statistics including OBP, OPS, OPS+, home runs, hits, RBI and batting average as well as the managers’ and coaches’ general impressions of a player’s overall offensive value."

Yainer Diaz, Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman were also among the finalists to receive the award, but Altuve was the only player on the team to actually walk away with the trophy.

Houston gave the 34-year-old a massive contract extension before the season, extending him through 2029 for another $125 million. While he has earned the money through loyalty and everything he has given the franchise, some questioned the move because of his age.

The second baseman has clearly shown few signs of slowing down too much. Arguably his weakest full campaign (ignoring the odd 2020 season) since 2013 was still enough to win him a Silver Slugger and his ninth career All-Star game.

He posted a .295/.350/.439 slashing line with 20 home runs and 65 RBI. While it isn't an otherworldly line for him, it is still exceptional for a second baseman.

The best campaign among the other finalists was Texas Rangers veteran Marcus Semien with a .237/.308/.391 line with 23 home runs and 74 RBI, so it is clear why Altuve is the one taking the award home with him.

Even in his advanced age, the 14-year MLB veteran was one of the only things that worked in the Astros offense for much of the campaign.

His season actually declined as it went on, opposite of the team itself, but they likely wouldn't have even made the playoffs had it not been for Altuve's efforts.