Altuve, the reigning American League MVP, will earn $163.5 million over the next seven years. The deal also reportedly contains a full no-trade clause.
“This is a very important day for me,” said Altuve, per MLB.com, “and the most important thing for me is (my teammates) being here. Everything is done, and now I can just play baseball.”
Altuve had two seasons remaining on the team-friendly contract he signed in 2013 (four years, $12.5 million, with two option years). He will make $6 million this season and $6.5 million in 2019 before his new deal kicks in. His new contract, which runs through Altuve’s age-34 season, is the largest the Astros have handed out in their history, blowing past Carlos Lee’s six-year, $100-million deal signed in 2006.
“These aren’t the types of deals that get done on their own,” Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow said. “It takes commitment from both sides. Jose was committed to staying in Houston and building his legacy as an Astro.
“This is our franchise player, and he’s getting better every year. Quite frankly, this (extension) is something we’ve discussed every year for the past three years, it just all came together this year. This is the perfect timing for our franchise.”
Altuve, 27, won the MVP last year after hitting .346 with 24 home runs, 81 RBIs and 32 stolen bases. He eclipsed the 200-hit mark for the fourth straight season, leading the league on each occasion, and won his third batting title in the past four years.
Altuve, a five-time All-Star, finished third in the MVP vote in 2016, when he hit .338 with 24 home runs, 96 RBIs and stolen 30 bases.
On his new deal, Altuve, who stands 5-feet-6, will be the sixth player in major league history to average $30 million annually, joining Zack Greinke ($34.4 million), David Price ($31mn), Miguel Cabrera ($31mn), Clayton Kershaw ($30.7mn) and Max Scherzer ($30mn).