4 creative ways the Astros can plug second base with Mauricio Dubón moving on

Houston Astros v Athletics | Lachlan Cunningham/GettyImagesThere was never any shot that the Houston Astros carried both Mauricio Dubón and Ramon Urias on the 2026 roster. The pair overlapped a great deal, and their combined salary would've made the budget to attack other needs tight.

However, Jose Altuve will likely spend a decent amount of time in left field, meaning a "part-time" starter at second is needed. Nick Allen, the player the Astros acquired for Dubón, replaces the defensive prowess Houston lost in the deal, but his career 53 wRC+ shows his bat isn't up to snuff for regular playing time.

So now, with this new hole opened, the Astros need to figure out a different solution. Here…