Astros star Jose Altuve aims for bounce-back season in 2026

Veteran second baseman looks to regain consistency after unusual 2025 campaign

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Coming off an unusual 2025 season, Houston Astros star Jose Altuve was back at a familiar spot and ready to put in a more consistent season. Altuve, who is expected to open this season as Houston's primary second baseman again, played in 155 games last year, his most since 2016, but had one of his least productive offensive seasons, with a .771 OPS and .265 batting average.

Why it matters

As one of the Astros' franchise players, Altuve's performance is crucial to the team's success. After falling short of the playoffs in 2025, the Astros will be counting on Altuve to bounce back and provide stability at the top of their lineup.

The details

Altuve said he identified a mechanical issue with his front-foot placement that contributed to his struggles last season, causing him to pull the ball more and chase pitches outside the strike zone. He's looking to be more consistent at the plate and hit the ball more to the middle of the field in 2026.

  • Altuve played in 155 games in 2025, his most since 2016.
  • Altuve did not play a game in October for the first time since 2016 last season.

The players

Jose Altuve

A veteran second baseman and franchise player for the Houston Astros.

Joe Espada

The manager of the Houston Astros.

Yordan Alvarez

A slugger for the Houston Astros who is expected to make a majority of his starts at designated hitter in 2026.

Carlos Correa

A shortstop who joined the Astros via trade in the middle of the 2025 season.

Isaac Paredes

An infielder who could see some starts at second base for the Astros in 2026, potentially giving Altuve more rest.

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What they’re saying

“I think normally my seasons in the big leagues are more consistent. I feel like last year I had some times where I was really, really bad and some times where I was really, really good. I had really a big separation between those two.”

— Jose Altuve (Houston Chronicle)

“If we didn't have the amount of injuries and I could have given Jose some extra days off his feet, we're talking about .820 OPS, right, we're talking about 30 home runs. So for me, based on what he went through, what we went through with all those injuries, that's a really good year. The numbers were not there, but my job is going to (be to) help Jose have the right amount of time to be off his feet so we can have the best version of Altuve every time he's on the field.”

— Joe Espada, Manager, Houston Astros (Houston Chronicle)

“Not really. At the end of the day, (Espada) writes the lineup. But one thing I'm really proud of and I love is playing. I think that's my number one goal — to stay on the field, to play, stay healthy. I want to do that this year again. There might be some days where he wants me to not play, but I'll be trying to play. I love playing. So I think trying to play more than 150 games for me every year is my first goal, is big, and that's what I want to do.”

— Jose Altuve (Houston Chronicle)

What’s next

The Astros will monitor Altuve's workload throughout the season to try to keep him fresh and productive, potentially giving him more starts at designated hitter and extra days off.

The takeaway

After an uneven 2025 campaign, Altuve is focused on regaining his consistency at the plate and staying healthy for the full season. If he can do that, he could be a key part of the Astros' efforts to return to the playoffs in 2026.