Joe Espada Discusses What Role Houston Astros Gold Glover Will Have This Season

This is the role that the Houston Astros star utilityman will have this year.

Sep 6, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Mauricio Dubon (14) reacts after tagging out Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (2) in a run down in the third inning at Minute Maid Park / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

With the Houston Astros seemingly still trying to figure out how they are going to operate in the outfield, they have already decided Yordan Alvarez will get less playing time in left.

That seems to be the wise decision.

The star slugger pushed to play in the field more after he recovered from his knee operations. That resulted in him getting into 53 games this past season, the second-most of his career. Whether this was a factor in him spraining his knee at the end of the year or not, the Astros want to use him as the primary designated hitter during the upcoming campaign.

Since Chas McCormick has already been tapped to replace Kyle Tucker in right field, who mans left becomes the biggest question for Houston heading into the spring.

Mauricio Dubon was seen as someone who could take over as the everyday player.

The six-year big leaguer hasn't had a primary role since he debuted in 2019. Instead, he turned into a Gold Glove-winning utilityman in 2023 and has provided excellent defense at the multitude of positions he gets slotted into.

And for manager Joe Espada, that is too valuable for the Astros to give up.

"It's good to have Dubón, because he's that guy. If something happens and we need to fill a spot, Dubón is there ... What makes him valuable is he can start a game at third and finish in right field. Or he can come in at some point and pinch-hit and play defense and help us win the game. So having that piece on your team is super valuable. We are a really good team when Mauricio Dubón is that player and we can just deploy him in many different ways," he said per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.

That seems to put an end to the full-time left field notion.

Keeping Dubon in his utility role makes the most sense.

For his career, he's appeared in left just 85 times, being the starter in 55 of those, which is the position he's played the third-most behind center field and second base.

Of course, that could change over the course of the long season.

Injuries and poor performances happen, and if Dubon is still providing value at the plate, then it would be hard not to keep his bat in the lineup in a starting role if there is a clear need for production in the outfield.