Not wanting to deploy Yordan Alvarez defensively every day, the Astros could consider adding Andrew Benintendi or Michael Conforto or perhaps re-signing Michael Brantley.
Free-agent outfielder Andrew Benintendi's ability to make contact puts him in sync with a successful element of the Astros' offense.SAN DIEGO — Three days before he no longer had a say in the matter, James Click seemed to settle the Astros’ left field situation. Yordan Alvarez started a career-high 56 games there in 2022 and, according to Click, was “trending toward” being the team’s everyday left fielder in 2023.
“It’s one of those situations that we’ll continue to look at and try to run down opportunities there, talk with about it. I think we could go into next year not doing anything and be fine,” assistant general manager Bill Firkus said Tuesday night. Exactly how much DH time Alvarez sees is a moving target. On Monday afternoon, manager Dusty Baker said he envisioned Alvarez playing “65 to 70 percent” of Houston’s games in left field. A week earlier, Jeff Bagwell said “I want Yordan to play 45 to 50 percent of the games in left field.” Neither figure aligns with Click’s thought of everyday playing time.“I don’t know if I have an exact number there, but it will be a continual discussion with Dusty and then Yordan as a player,” Firkus said.
“It depends on how he feels,” said Baker, who stressed his “65 to 70 percent” figure was in an “ideal” world. “He's getting better, and he enjoys playing the outfield. You have to enjoy playing defense. And he enjoys it a lot, especially when he throws somebody out or makes a great play. You can see him getting better daily.”
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