Altuve surprised by early ovation from Astros fans: 'Amazing'
Houston Astros fans gave franchise icon Jose Altuve a standing ovation as he took left field for the first time as a major leaguer during Thursday's Opening Day game against the New York Mets.
Regardless of how this LF experiment goes, Jose Altuve is my GOAT https://t.co/t9Xqp4S2oy pic.twitter.com/yME3tEurej
— Noah (@YordanForHOF44) March 27, 2025
"I wasn’t expecting that," Altuve said of the ovation, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic.
"That was amazing. I appreciate their support. That was probably one of the happiest moments I’ve had in my career."
Altuve began transitioning to the outfield this spring after spending the entirety of his 14-year career at second base.
The process has not been without its growing pains. The 34-year-old said he wasn't very happy with his performance last week after dropping playable balls in consecutive spring training games.
Altuve went 1-4 at the plate Thursday in the Astros' 3-1 victory.
The nine-time All-Star has won two World Series championships, an MVP award, and three batting titles during his tenure in Houston.