Houston Astros Superstar Adds Another All-Time Franchise Record to Resume

The Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve picked up another Astros record on Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels.

Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros made the right decision this offseason. 

The team decided to ensure that star second baseman Jose Altuve would remain an ‘Astro for Life’ when they signed the 34-year-old to a five-year, $125 million contract extension. The deal would keep the superstar on the same team he debuted with in 2011. A rare occurrence these days from top players in MLB. 

Although some questioned the new contract, especially the length, as he is entering an age of his career that is projected to have declining numbers, those numbers have yet to slow down in 2024. 

On Sunday, in the series finale against the Los Angeles Angels, the Astros got some insurance from Altuve as they were looking for their fourth straight win. The future hall of famer picked up his 20th home run of the season, marking the sixth time in his career he has reached that milestone. 

With the rest of his numbers on the season, his solo shot off Angels Griffin Canning in the bottom of the fifth inning pushed Altuve to a 20 homer and 20 stolen base season. 

For the 6th time in his career, Jose Altuve reaches the 20-HR mark 😤 pic.twitter.com/MKx3B4MTyu

— MLB (@MLB) September 22, 2024

It is now the third time in his career that he has reached that feat, and he joins four other franchise legends for the Most 20+ home runs and 20+ stolen base seasons in Astros History. He joins the ranks of Jimmy Wynn (1965, 69, 70), Cesar Cedeno (1972, 73, 74), Craig Biggio (1995, 97, 98), and Jeff Bagwell (1996, 97, 99) on another list that continues to make him one of the best players of all time to dawn the Astros uniform. 

When Altuve was extended in the off-season, the official release stated that “he has established himself as a future Hall of Fame candidate and as one of the top three players in franchise history.”

His new contract goes through the 2029 season, so Altuve will have four more seasons to stand alone among the ranks as the only Astros player to go 20/20 in at least four different seasons before his career is over. 

The 14 -year veteran and the rest of the  Astros firmly sit atop the American League West standings with only a handful of games remaining in the regular season. They will return to the postseason after beginning the year 7-19, the worst 26-game start in franchise history dating back to 1969 Houston will look to reach their eighth straight American League Championship Series (ALCS) and their fifth World Series within that span.