WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. >> The Houston Astros are planning to play Jose Altuve mostly in left field this season, manager Joe Espada told the Houston Chronicle on Monday.

A nine-time All-Star, three-time batting champion and the 2017 AL MVP, Altuve has played all but two of his 1,767 major league games at second base. He won the Gold Glove in 2015 and in 2020 led the AL with the fewest errors there, with four.

“Right now the plan is for him to play the majority of his games in left field,” Espada said, adding moving Altuve “back and forth is something I’m going to avoid.”

The idea of moving Altuve to left was first broached when the team was looking to keep third baseman Alex Bregman. If Bregman had returned, it might have forced newly acquired Isaac Paredes to shift to second base and Altuve to the outfield.

Altuve said at the team’s FanFest in January, “Whatever I have to do for him to stay, I’m willing to do it.” Asked about how difficult it would be to switch to the outfield after never playing there before, he said, “For Alex, nothing will be difficult.”

Even after Bregman signed with Boston, moving Altuve to the outfield still made sense to the team.

Murphy breaks rib

Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy has a cracked rib and is expected to miss four to six weeks, the team said on Monday.

The injury gives top prospect Drake Baldwin the chance to start the season as the starting catcher.

Murphy, 30, was an All-Star in 2023 but struggled last season after an abdominal strain on opening day and batted .193 with 10 homers and 25 RBIs in 72 games.

The Braves declined Travis d’Arnaud’s $8 million option during the offseason, clearing the path for Murphy to be the No. 1 catcher. D’Arnaud signed with the Angels.

Chadwick Tromp is only other catcher on the Atlanta 40-man roster. He hit .250 in 19 games in 2024

Yankees’ Gil out

Yankees right-hander Luis Gil will start the season on the injured list because of a high-grade lat strain in his pitching shoulder that will prevent him from throwing for at least six weeks.

Manager Aaron Boone announced the injury to the AL Rookie of the Year before Monday night’s spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“It’s at least a six-week no throw. We know that for sure,” Boone said.

Boone said the Yankees hope Gil will return this season.

“They still have to examine him and make sure other opinions and everything weigh in but right now it looks like a six-week no throw,” he said.

Gil, 26, cut short a bullpen session Friday. He was 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 29 starts last year, striking out 171 and walking a major league-high 77 in 151 2/3 innings.

Briefly

Royals >> Mike Moustakas is going to retire with Kansas City after spending 13 years in the majors and winning the World Series with the Royals in 2015.

Pirates >> Pittsburgh claimed right-hander Justin Lawrence off waivers from the Colorado Rockies. Lawrence, 30, had been 12-12 with a 5.43 ERA in 182 appearances with the Rockies since 2021.

Nationals >> The Nationals and Baltimore Orioles ended a legal fight over TV rights when Major League Baseball announced Washington will be freed from its deal with Mid-Atlantic Sports Network.