Jose Altuve contract details: Star second baseman becomes ‘Astro for life’ with five-year extension

Jose Altuve will be staying in Houston for a while longer.

The Astros locked up their franchise second baseman to a five-year extension Tuesday. The contract, valued at $125 million, reaffirms Altuve’s status as not only one of MLB’s most skilled players at his position but also one of its wealthiest.

The 33-year-old put together another impressive campaign in 2023, posting .311/.393/.522 splits in 90 games for the AL West-winning Astros. Altuve found success even in an injury-riddled campaign, one that started with a broken thumb during the preseason World Baseball Classic.

Altuve has been a model of consistency since arriving in the Bayou City back in 2011. His new deal, which nets him $25 million in average annual value (AAV), reflects that.

Altuve’s contract — which will run until he’s 38 — is heavily front-loaded, with Altuve set to receive $30 million per year during the first three seasons of the deal and just $10 million over the final two years, per The Athletic’s Chandler Rome. The contract also includes a $15 million signing bonus.

The Astros announced the extension with a post proclaiming Altuve an “Astro for Life.”

Jose Altuve contract detailsThe Astros and Altuve agreed terms to a five-year, $125 million extension on Tuesday. The organization revealed the news shortly after it was reported by Passan.

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— Houston Astros (@astros) February 6, 2024The money represents an impressive sum for a player of Altuve’s age and profile. It is the second-largest deal in franchise history, only exceeded by the extension Altuve inked back in 2018.

With Tuesday’s announcement, the Astros ensured that Altuve — one of the franchise’s greatest-ever talents — won’t be hitting the free agency market any time soon. Altuve’s contract was set to expire after the 2024 season.

Altuve’s latest deal features a bit of clever accounting on Houston’s part. While he will net an AAV of $25 million (the third-highest total among MLB second basemen), his contract will dwindle as the years roll on.

2025 salary: $30 million2026 salary: $30 million2027 salary: $30 million2028 salary: $10 million2029 salary: $10 millionAltuve is one of the Astros’ finest products. He’s currently the longest-tenured player on Houston’s roster and is among the franchise’s most accomplished players. Altuve has eight All-Star nods, three batting titles, six Silver Sluggers and three top-five MVP finishes. He’s also a two-time World Series champion, capturing AL MVP honors on that infamous 2017 Houston team that was subsequently punished for sign stealing.

Despite the controversy surrounding aspects of his legacy, Altuve is undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever play his position. He has a 129 career OPS+, better than Hall of Famers Charlie Gehringer, Joe Gordon and Roberto Alomar. If he’s able to keep his production going deep into his 30s, he stands as good a chance as anyone to secure a spot in Cooperstown.

But first, he’ll get another chance to shine at Minute Maid Park. Was there ever any doubt he would?

This is a developing story and will be updated.