Expectations Placed Upon Houston Astros Legend Might Be Something He Can't Meet

The Houston Astros are going to heavily rely on their franchise legend, and with this roster and at his age, that might be too much for him to overcome.

Sep 22, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) looks up after a play during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Minute Maid Park | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros are entering the 2025 season with expectations to compete for a championship.

That's the same mindset they've had since they lifted the World Series trophy in 2017, and for every single year except the last one, they've been on the doorstep of achieving that goal, reaching the ALCS for seven consecutive seasons and the Fall Classic four times with two rings to show for it.

But things are different this time around.

Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, Justin Verlander and Ryan Pressly are all gone.

It's the most loss they've sustained during their dynastic run in a single free agency cycle, and that puts a lot of pressure on Jose Altuve to keep things together.

"As long as he's here, we still have The Guy," manager Joe Espada said per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

But can Altuve be "The Guy" on a contending team at 34 years old?

The Astros are going to try to make that a reality with the long-time second baseman moving to the outfield for the first time in his professional career to help out a unit that looks like one of the worst in baseball.

Not only will Houston be relying on him to make an adjustment to the grass from the dirt, but they also need him to be the elite hitter he's been throughout his career.

That's a lot to ask from a player entering his 15th season of Major League Baseball.

Altuve has done it in the past, putting a team full of elite players on his back no matter who is on the roster or who has departed.

"Every player we have lost in the past, we've missed them. But somehow, we've found a way to keep going. It doesn't necessarily mean we're better with or without them. But with this team, the culture is to win. I think that is why we keep going forward, regardless of who we lose," the future Hall of Famer stated.

The Astros have never lost this much talent in one offseason, though, and they've never been more reliant on their franchise legend.

Altuve has risen to the occasion in the past, but this year might be too much for him to shoulder.

If that turns out to be the case, then Houston will take an even further step back than they did last season when they were eliminated before reaching the ALCS round of the playoffs for the first time in seven years.