Since they made the 2005 World Series and lost it to the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Astros hadn’t even qualified to the postseason until 2015.
Their revival, however, had started a couple of years before that.
They drafted Carlos Correa in 2012, they took Alex Bregman in the 2015 MLB Draft, and they traded for Yordan Alvarez in 2016 and for Justin Verlander in 2017.
Even before the Correa pick, they signed a diminutive second baseman from Venezuela.
His name was Jose Altuve, and he joined the organization as an international free agent in 2007.
He developed nicely in the minors and made his MLB debut in 2011.
Since then, he hasn’t looked back.
Fresh off signing a five-year, $125 million contract extension with the Astros that would keep him in Houston through the 2029 season, the team published a cool video of their star second baseman.
“Jose Altuve has been the life of the Astros, now he is an Astro for life,” they tweeted, with a video of some of Altuve’s best plays and a revealing fact: he was signed for just $15,000 back in 2007.
Jose Altuve has been the life of the Astros, now he is an Astro for life. pic.twitter.com/a6aKHDZTWk
— Houston Astros (@astros) February 7, 2024
Some of the stars of each international period get $2 million, $3 million, and even $5 million bonuses.
Altuve got $15,000, but it didn’t matter: he always envisioned himself having success and earning everything that came his way.
Since that 2015 season in which the Astros made the postseason, they have contended almost every year.
Since 2017, they have appeared in seven straight American League Championship Series, making it to three World Series and winning two (2017 and 2022).
Altuve has been a crucial part of all those rosters.
He will be an Astro for life, and he is deserving of every penny he earned in his extension.
The post Astros Share Must-See Jose Altuve Video Following Extension appeared first on The Cold Wire.