A BIG DEAL
Astros lock up Altuve longterm with 5-year, $150-million extension
Mar 16, 2018, 4:58 pm
Jose Altuve is going to get paid. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images
Rejoice Astros fans, you have your cornerstone player for the foreseeable future as Jose Altuve and the Astros have agreed on a 5-year, $150 million dollar deal to keep the superstar second baseman in Houston after his current contract ends. The deal is the largest in franchise history.
With Altuve under contract through 2018 with a team option in 2019, the five-year deal kicks in for the 2020 season, keeping Altuve on the Astros through 2024. The contract comes as a great reward for Altuve, who is coming off his AL MVP season in which he completed his fourth-consecutive season with at least 200 hits and also recording his highest season batting average at .346.
Altuve has been a vital part of the Astros organization since he arrived, making five All-Star game appearances and acting as the fan-favorite face of the franchise. He appears to be on a Craig Biggio-esque journey to possibly spend his entire career in Houston and help keep the team in contention for the next half-decade.
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The Astros open a three-game set Tuesday night against the struggling Chicago White Sox, looking to put together a solid homestand and maintain their lead atop the AL West.
Houston enters the series at 36-29, including a 22-12 mark at Daikin Park, where they've consistently found ways to win behind timely hitting and quality pitching. They'll send Lance McCullers (1-1, 4.44 ERA) to the mound, hoping he can keep the momentum going against a White Sox team that has labored all year, particularly on the road.
Chicago comes in at 22-44 overall and just 6-26 away from home, though starter Shane Smith (2-3, 2.45 ERA) has been a bright spot in an otherwise dim season. He’ll be tasked with trying to quiet a Houston lineup that’s been inconsistent of late but remains dangerous when it clicks — the Astros are 20-3 in games where they score five or more runs.
Jeremy Peña continues to lead the way at the plate, hitting .316 with nine homers and 32 RBIs, while Jake Meyers is coming off a four-hit game on Sunday and is 11-for-35 over the past 10 games. If those two stay hot, Houston could have an edge against the young right-hander.
The White Sox have gotten recent production from Chase Meidroth and Miguel Vargas, but overall remain one of the most inconsistent offenses in the league. Like Houston, they tend to win when they hit — they’re 14-3 in games where they’ve scored at least five runs — but those games have been few and far between.
Both teams have shown flashes in recent days. Over their last 10 games, the Astros are 6-4 but have been outscored overall, while the White Sox are 4-6 despite a slightly better run differential. With Houston favored at -195 and an over/under of 8, the pressure will be on McCullers to set the tone early — and on the bats to back him up.
The teams will meet for the fourth time this season Tuesday night, with first pitch set for 8:10 p.m. ET.
*ChatGPT assisted.
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