Houston Astros Sign Altuve to Historic Extension

The Houston Astros are paying Jose Altuve in a way that no second baseman has ever been paid before.

The Houston Astros have signed veteran second baseman Jose Altuve to a five-year contract extension, per multiple reports.

The Athletic reported that the extension would start in 2025. USA Today reported the breakdown on the contract extension, which will make him the first second baseman to make $300 million in a career.

Altuve will receive a $15 million signing bonus and $30 million each of the first three seasons of the extension and then $10 million in each of the final two seasons.

The extension almost guarantees that Altuve will spend the rest of his career with the Astros. He broke in with the Astros in 2011. He’s been a part of two World Series champions (2017, 2022).

Altuve enters 2024 hoping to add to his impressive credentials. He is a career .307 hitter with 209 home runs and 747 RBI. He was the 2017 American League MVP and has been named to the AL All-Star Team eight times. He’s also won five Silver Sluggers and a Gold Glove.

Last season was a difficult one for the normally durable Altuve. He missed the first two months of the season after suffering an injury playing for his native Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. He did another short stint on the injured list in July.

Still, he produced, as he slashed .311/.393/.522/.915 with 17 home runs and 51 RBI. Along the way he became the third Astros player to reach 2,000 career hits, joining Astros legends and Hall of Famers Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio. Altuve also hit for the cycle.