"When I got called up in 2011, they told me it was temporary" - Jose Altuve reflects on Astros journey following $125,000,000 extension

Jose Altuve is the first second baseman in MLB history to make $300 million. He did so by signing a massive extension for $125 million to stay with the Houston Astros, presumably for the rest of his career. When he was first coming out, none of that seemed possible.

By now all baseball fans are likely familiar with the odds that Altuve had to beat. He was one of the shortest players ever and was thoroughly overlooked until the Astros gave him a chance.

However, even when they did give him a chance, it was a temporary chance with a short leash. The star second baseman reflected on the beginning of his journey and how uncertain it was:

"When I got called up in 2011, they told me it was something temporary until they found another second baseman."

Even the Astros, the only team that was willing to give him a shot out of Venezuela, weren't sure that he'd be anything more than a brief stopgap until they found someone else.

Nearly 13 years later, he's a two-time champion, an MVP and has a day named after him. When they first called him up to the majors, no one thought any single one of those things would happen.

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Jose Altuve turned the Astros around

Jose Altuve is a legend for the Houston Astros.

Once Jose Altuve arrived in Houston, he staked his claim to the second base spot. He didn't immediately turn them into winners, though, as that's pretty much impossible for one player to do.

Slowly, though, they began to build around him and become the dynasty they are, with other players coming along, primarily Carlos Correa.

They lost 100 or more games three straight times after he came up and lost only lost 92. In 2015, it all came together as they made the playoffs and took it all the way to Game 5 of the American League Division Series. They added stars like George Springer as well.

Two years later, they were World Series champions and followed that up by making every single ALCS the following years until now, winning another World Series. They became the dynasty, thanks in no small part to Altuve.