Jose Altuve Stats: Is the Venezuelan star the greatest Houston Astros player ever?

To say that Jose Altuve is one of the most polarizing players in the MLB would be an understatement. The Houston Astros All-Star second baseman has seen his approval rating among MLB fans swing up and down throughout his career. The 2017 sign-stealing scandal was the deciding factor for most.

Regardless of personal feelings toward Altuve, he has had an incredibly successful career in the MLB. In 2017, Jose Altuve won the American League MVP, the only one of his career so far. The diminutive second baseman has also been selected to the MLB All-Star team on eight separate occasions, won a Gold Glove award, and is a two-time World Series champion.

While he will certainly have a case for the National Baseball Hall of Fame when all is said and done, the controversial 2017 season will remain a stain on his legacy. In this year's Hall of Fame class, Carlos Beltran specifically, we will see how the 2017 sign-stealing scandal is treated by Hall of Fame voters.

"Carlos Beltran is the first player from the 2017 sign stealing scandal to be on a Hall of Fame ballot. Prior to that, his numbers were still solid. Does he belong in Cooperstown?" - Sportskeeda Baseball

After winning his second World Series title with the club, some fans have been left wondering if Jose Altuve is the best Houston Astros player of all time. Here is a look into the all-time batting leaders in franchise history.

When compared to other players throughout the history of the Astros, Altuve ranks sixth in positional player WAR (46.5), second in batting average (.307), fifth in games played (1578), fourth in hits (1935), fourth in runs scored (986), fifth in home runs (192), and eigth in RBIs (696).

"Hall of Famer Craig Biggio throws out the first pitch to fellow Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell before Game 2 of the #WorldSeries" - Daniel Gotera

In those same categories, club legends such as Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell and Moises Alou rank ahead of the former MVP. Craig Biggio is the all-time Astros leader in hits and games played, as well as second in positional player WAR (65.5).

Jeff Bagwell is the all-time Houston leader in home runs, positional player WAR, and RBIs. Alou is the franchise leader in batting average.

While Jose Altuve may be the best Astros player of his generation, he falls short of being the best player in franchise history. The argument in Altuve's favor is the fact that he helped lead the franchise to its only two World Series titles.

Jose Altuve's contract with the Houston Astros

In 2018, Altuve finalized a seven-year, $163.5M deal with the Houston Astros, keeping him under contract until 2025, when he will be eligible for unrestricted free agency. The contract is the longest deal in franchise history.