Astros' Jose Altuve still expected to move to left even after Alex Bregman's exit
Jose Altuve is expected to play mostly in left field this season even though the Astros didn't acquire a clear replacement at second base.8 HOURS AGO
MAURICIO DUBÓN
Could get regular looks at 2B Dubon is an option to start at second base if Jose Altuve plays in left field, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Impact The Astros have been coy about their plans for Altuve, though Rome notes that he has only observed Altuve in the outfield early in spring training. Given that, current signs point to him getting at least some time in left field during the regular season, with the goal of Yordan Alvarez being the full-time designated hitter. In turn, playing time will open at second base, with Dubon and Brendan Rodgers seemingly the top candidates to fill the spot. Dubon has served as a utility player for Houston across the last two seasons and would be a candidate to post double-digit homers and steals with more regular at-bats.
FEBRUARY 21 • ROTOWIRE
Gets $5 million from Houston The Astros and Dubon avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $5 million contract Thursday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Impact This was Dubon's third of four arbitration-eligible years. The utility player slashed .269/.296/.361 with four homers in 137 games with the Astros in 2024. He underwent surgery to repair a torn UCL in his left thumb in October but will be ready to roll for spring training.
JANUARY 9 • ROTOWIRE
Set to undergo thumb surgery Dubon will undergo surgery to repair a torn UCL in his left thumb, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Impact Rome reveals that Dubon suffered the injury back on Sept. 6 but elected to delay surgery until the offseason. The rehab is expected to take 6-to-8, so the utility player should be ready to go for the start of spring training. Dubon is slated for salary arbitration for a third year this offseason after slashing .269/.296/.361 with four home runs and three stolen bases over 137 contests.
OCTOBER 9, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Long starting streak ends Dubon is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.
Impact Dubon will head to the bench for the first time since Sept. 10, ending a stretch of 11 consecutive starts during which he batted .316 with six RBI. Though his ability to fill in at multiple spots in the infield and outfield has allowed Dubon to gain traction in the lineup lately, he'll likely be limited to a short-side platoon role heading into the final week of the regular season.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Getting eighth straight start Dubon will start at second base and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against the Padres.
Impact Dubon doesn't have a clear path to a spot at any one position, but his versatility and hot bat will allow him to stick in the lineup for an eighth consecutive game. He's produced an impressive .382/.400/.412 battling line over 14 games so far in September, though Dubon hasn't supplemented it with many counting stats (zero home runs, zero steals, five RBI and four runs).
SEPTEMBER 18, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
In Wednesday's lineup Dubon (thumb) will start in left field and bat ninth in Wednesday's game versus the Athletics, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Impact It's Dubon's first start since he injured his left thumb in a game last Friday, although he did appear off the bench a couple times since then. Jake Meyers and Ben Gamel will join Dubon in the Astros' outfield.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Athletics visit the Astros to begin 3-game series
The Houston Astros host the Oakland Athletics to open a three-game seriesSEPTEMBER 10, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Excluded from lineup Sunday Dubon (thumb) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks.
Impact Dubon remains day-to-day due to the jammed left thumb, which he sustained in Friday's 8-0 win in the series opener. According to MLB.com, manager Joe Espada said he hopes to avoid using Dubon off the bench Sunday, noting that consecutive days out of the lineup coupled with a team off day Monday should provide sufficient time for the utility player to heal up from the injury heading into Tuesday's series opener versus the Athletics. Though Dubon has taken on a near-everyday role since the beginning of August while moving between multiple positions, his playing time could become more inconsistent following the recent return of Kyle Tucker from the injured list.
SEPTEMBER 8, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Sitting Saturday Dubon (thumb) isn't in the Astros' lineup Saturday against the Diamondbacks, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Impact Dubon was taken out of Friday's game early due to a jammed left thumb, and while the injury is considered minor, the Astros will hold him out of Saturday's contest just to be safe.
SEPTEMBER 7, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Suffers minor thumb injury Dubon jammed his left thumb in Friday's game against the Diamondbacks, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Impact Dubon hurt his thumb sliding into first base late in the game and was removed. He had X-rays after the contest that came back clean, and he told reporters that he will be fine. Dubon may be unavailable Saturday, but a stint on the injured list seems unlikely.
SEPTEMBER 7, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Astros host the Diamondbacks to begin 3-game series
The Houston Astros begin a three-game series at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks on FridaySEPTEMBER 6, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Astros visit the Reds to open 3-game series
The Cincinnati Reds host the Houston Astros to start a three-game seriesSEPTEMBER 2, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rejoining lineup Tuesday Dubon (shoulder) is starting in left field and batting ninth Tuesday against the Phillies, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Impact Dubon sat out Monday's contest after he suffered a shoulder injury during Sunday's series finale versus Baltimore, but he's back in action after missing just one game. The 30-year-old hasn't found much success at the plate in August with a .175/.232/.222 slash line through 21 games.
AUGUST 27, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Exiting lineup Monday Dubon is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Phillies after he collided with the outfield wall in the bottom of the seventh inning of Sunday's 6-3 win over the Orioles...
Impact While playing left field Sunday, Dubon was in a full sprint while tracking down Ramon Urias' deep fly before his left side made full contact with the outfield wall, sending him tumbling to the ground. Dubon secured the catch on a backhanded grab for the final out of the inning, but he remained down on the field for a few moments until he was able to walk to the dugout under his own power. The Astros then lifted Dubon for a pinch hitter in the top of the eighth inning, with the 30-year-old admitting after the contest that he got the air knocked out of him in the collision and was feeling stiff from his neck down to his shoulder, per Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. On a positive note, Dubon said follow-up tests revealed no major concern, so the Astros are seemingly viewing him as day-to-day. Dubon will see his streak of 12 consecutive starts come to an end Monday while he gets at least one game off to heal up.
AUGUST 26, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Avoids major injury Dubon (undisclosed) was forced to exit Sunday's 6-3 win over the Orioles in eighth inning, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Impact Dubon made a rather impressive running catch in left field, crashing into the wall for the final out of the bottom of the seventh inning. The 30-year-old was subsequently removed from the game, but manager Joe Espada said following the contest that Dubon escaped without suffering a serious injury. The Astros will begin a three-game series on the road against the Phillies on Monday and Dubon can be considered day-to-day for the time being.
AUGUST 26, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Delivers winning hit Dubon went 1-for-3 with a walk, one RBI and a stolen base in Wednesday's 2-1 extra-inning win over the Rays.
Impact Dubon entered the contest just 2-for-27 over his first 10 games in August. His hit -- which was the Astros' second of the game -- plated the initial runner in the 10th inning. For the season, Dubon is slashing .253/.282/.363 with four home runs, three steals, 35 RBI and 38 runs scored over 307 plate appearances. His versatility, along with Houston's lack of left-handed-hitting outfielders, has helped to keep Dubon in the lineup more often than not despite his recent slump.
AUGUST 15, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Back on bench Monday Dubon is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rays.
Impact Dubon will head back to the bench after he had picked up starts in three of the past four games. The Astros have a couple openings in their everyday lineup, but Dubon hasn't yet done enough to fully gain traction in a regular starting role. Since the All-Star break, Dubon is slashing just .122/.163/.268 while striking out at a 25 percent clip.
AUGUST 12, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Idle Saturday Dubon isn't in the Astros' lineup for Saturday's game versus the Red Sox, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact After going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts during Friday's series opener, Dubon will take a seat Saturday while Yordan Alvarez, Jake Meyers and Chas McCormick start across the outfield.
AUGUST 10, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Sitting Tuesday Dubon isn't in the Astros' lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rangers, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Impact Dubon will get a chance to regroup Tuesday after going hitless in 11 at-bats across his last four games. Yordan Alvarez will fill the open spot in Houston's outfield, allowing Zach Dezenzo to serve as the designated hitter and bat seventh.
AUGUST 6, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Regaining playing time Dubon will start in left field and bat seventh in Sunday's game against the Rays.
Impact Dubon will start for the fourth time in five contests and for the third game in a row. The 30-year-old is slashing just .125/.125/.333 since the All-Star break, so despite the recent uptick in playing time, he's far from secure as an everyday player.
AUGUST 4, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Dubon's pinch-hit home caps Astros' rally, sinks Pirates Mauricio Dubon clubbed his first career pinch-hit home run and the Houston Astros won their seventh consecutive game with starter Framber Va...
AUGUST 1, 2024 • THESTATE.COM
Comes up clutch off bench Dubon hit a two-run home run as a pinch hitter in Wednesday's 5-4 win over the Pirates.
Impact Dubon hit for Jon Singleton in the sixth inning and took Pirates reliever Colin Holderman deep to give the Astros their first lead of the game. It proved to be the difference Wednesday. Dubon had a rough July in a part-time role, going 9-for-51 (.176) with four RBI and a 2:16 BB:K over 19 contests. The utility man is slashing .270/.294/.390 with four homers, 33 RBI, 36 runs scored, two stolen bases and 19 doubles over 274 plate appearances this year.
AUGUST 1, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
Mauricio Dubon's pinch-hit HR caps Astros' rally, sinks Pirates Mauricio Dubon clubbed his first career pinch-hit home run and the Houston Astros won their seventh consecutive game with starter Framber Va...
AUGUST 1, 2024 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM
Losing out on regular playing time Dubon is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates.
Impact Dubon has now hit the bench for three consecutive matchups with right-handed pitchers, likely signaling that his time as a regular player in the Houston outfield is over. Barring any further additions to the outfield ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline, the Astros will likely rely on a committee of Dubon, Chas McCormick, Trey Cabbage, Joey Loperfido and Yordan Alvarez to pick up starts at the two corner-outfield spots until Kyle Tucker (shin) returns from the injured list to fill one of those spots.
JULY 30, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
