MLB Contracts: Who has the longest contract on the Houston Astros?

The Houston Astros are solidifying themselves as a modern baseball powerhouse. The team has been in the World Series four times since 2005, and looks favored to carry home the 2022 honors.

Central to the team's success is, of course, the players. The Houston Astros have shelled out some serious cash to ensure that they are contenders every single season. Let's take a look at who has the longest contract on the current Astros roster.

It pays to understand, firstly, that the Astros are one of the wealthiest teams in baseball. The team spent over $152 million this season on player's salaries. This gives them the highest payroll in the MLB, roughly $2 million more than the New York Yankees.

Jose Altuve is the player on the Astros with the longest contract commitment. He signed with the Astros just before the 2018 season. The deal saw him set to earn roughly $163.5 million over the next seven seasons. Altuve, the Venezuelan second baseman, penned the deal after he was instrumental in leading the Astros to the 2017 World Series.

"José Altuve was more emotional in this interview than at any time I’ve spoken with him during his career. @ MLB Network @ MLB" - @ Jon Morosi

At that point, he led the MLB in hits for four consecutive seasons. Altuve also hit 24 home runs and 81 RBIs and registered a batting average of .346 in 2017. Undoubtedly, this was a huge part of the reason why the Houston Astros front office decided to lock Altuve down.

Jose Altuve does not have the longest contract by very much. Both Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman have locked down multi-year deals with the Houston Astros. Alvarez recently signed a contract extension that will see him bring home $115 million between now and 2028. Bregman signed a five-year deal in 2020 worth about $20 million per year.

"Today is the day Jose Altuve’s bat wakes up. He is the one true King of New York!" - @ Cocky Astros Fans

Jose Altuve hopes to prove his worth in 2022 World Series for the Houston Astros

Because of his height, Altuve was overlooked a lot early in his career, thankfully that is no longer the case. The 5-foot-6 second baseman has appeared in his position in more World Series games than any other player this decade.

Jose Altuve and his fellow highly-paid counterparts will hope to bring home the World Series as they are set to face off against Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night in Game 1.