The Venezuelan baseball player José Altuve "will be an Astro for life"
"He’s just a great human being and a great competitor," said team owner Jim Crane after learning that the player extended his contract for another five years.
José Altuve seguirá siendo un Astro | ZUMAPRESS.com / Cordon Press
The Houston Astros reported that they agreed to a five-year extension of Venezuelan José Altuve's contract with the team. This is his third extension. The new agreement will go into effect in 2025.
"The Houston Astros have agreed to a five-year contract extension with All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve. Jose Altuve will be an Astro for life," wrote the Astros on their X account.
With the agreement, Altuve will play on the team until he is 39 years old, making it very likely that he will finish his career in Houston. Sources told MLB executive reporter Mark Feinsand that the deal is worth $125 million, including $30 million for each season from 2025-2027. However, the numbers were not confirmed by the team.
"He's just a great human being and a great competitor"
Meanwhile, Astros owner Jim Crane is pleased with the deal and described Altuve as "a great guy." The Venezuelan baseball player is considered one of the most successful and popular players in Astros history and a "cornerstone of a pair of World Series championship teams."
"Altuve was here when I got here in 2011. We're the only two guys that have been here that long. Not only has he performed well, but to have him hopefully retire here is a big deal for the franchise, and I think it’s a big deal for him and a big deal for the fans, more importantly," Crane said in statements collected by the official MLB website.
The MLB explained that Altuve is expected to earn $26 million this season, which would have been his last before becoming a free agent. "If he plays out the life of the extension, Altuve will end up spending 19 seasons in an Astros uniform. That would trail only Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, who played 20 seasons with Houston," MLB explained.
"He’s just a great human being and a great competitor and he’s great in the community. He’s just the full package and we’re happy we’re able to get it locked up and he’ll hopefully finish his career in Houston," said Jim Crane.
The Venezuelan stands out as the shortest active player in Major League Baseball at 5'6". In 2017, he won the World Series with the Astros and was named the American League's Most Valuable Player.
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