WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Jose Altuve is expected to play “most” of his games in left field this season, manager Joe Espada said Wednesday, confirming a position change for the Houston Astros’ franchise player and longtime second baseman.

Roster changes or injuries could still impact the plan for Altuve in-season, Espada said. But Altuve will enter the season as Houston’s primary left fielder, playing a position he just began learning this spring after 14 MLB seasons at second base.

“The plan for me right now, based on what I’ve seen, is for him to play most of his games in left field,” Espada said Wednesday afternoon.

“Now, that said, there’s always changes that can happen based on the roster can change, injuries can happen, someone in the minor leagues starts getting locked in and here we go, we’ve got to make some (changes). But right now, the plan is for him just to get most of his starts in left field.”

Altuve still projects to get some starts at second base, Espada said. That could happen when the Astros want to play Yordan Alvarez in left field and open the DH spot for another regular — such as Yainer Diaz when he is not catching — or an extra left-handed bat.

Alvarez is expected to see very limited time in left field, however. Espada declined to say how many or what percentage of games he expects Altuve to play in left field but made clear that Altuve will mostly appear there barring a significant shift in thinking.

“Right now, I like where he’s at defensively,” Espada said. “And he’s committed to being the best left fielder. And we’re going to give him the opportunity. But he knows in a seven, eight-month season that things can change. And Jose’s attitude is always doing what’s best for the team.”

The decision follows a several-month experiment to introduce and adapt Altuve to the outfield. Altuve, who turns 35 in May, has played all but six of his career defensive innings in the majors at second base.

The Astros approached Altuve this winter about possibly playing left field. Altuve began his introduction to the position through work at Daikin Park in Houston in the weeks leading into spring training and has worked almost exclusively in left field in spring training.

Altuve’s declining defensive metrics at second base, the Astros’ desire to limit Alvarez’s time in left and a priority on infield defense influenced the team’s decision to try him in the outfield. Altuve has embraced the project, by his and others’ accounts, appearing invigorated by it in camp.

“I think all my career has been about challenges,” Altuve said earlier this month. “And I think this is another one — in a good way. I don’t see it in a bad way. So definitely going out there and trying to learn a new position and at the end of the day be capable to play both positions.”

The Astros are professing faith in Altuve to handle left field despite his lack of in-game experience at the position. Altuve had played nine Grapefruit League games in left field before Wednesday and alternated some impressive plays with moments that illustrated his ongoing adjustment.

On Tuesday, Altuve made a running catch over his right shoulder deep in the left-center field gap. In the same game, he charged a shallow liner that glanced off his glove, allowing two runners to score. Espada expressed confidence in Altuve’s overall body of left-field work.

“He’s a really good athlete, he can track balls down,” Espada said. “It’s the small stuff. The slices by the left-handed hitters, all these little things, throwing the ball to the right base. Those are the things that he’s going to need some time. But the fact that he’s tracking balls down and doing as well as he is doing now, I’m not surprised.”

Altuve’s move will mirror that of a previous franchise icon. Craig Biggio moved from second base to the outfield at age 37, playing two seasons with Houston in center and left field before returning to second base for the final three seasons of his Hall of Fame career.

Altuve is entering the first season of a five-year, $125 million extension that will carry through his age 39 season. The Astros have made no declarations about his long-term defensive future but in trying a move now suggest Altuve may not finish his career at second base.

Espada noting that a minor-leaguer emerging could alter the plans for Altuve is intriguing. Two prospects standing out in Houston’s camp this spring, Zach Dezenzo and Cam Smith, have worked at least part-time at corner outfield spots. Both could debut this season, if not on the opening day roster.

However, Espada said the main factor that could push Altuve to second base at times is creating at-bats for players on the active roster, rather than clearing a spot for a player arriving from the minors.

Moving Altuve leaves the Astros to replace him at second base. Espada declined to say Tuesday how the team plans to handle second. Mauricio Dubón has made most of his starts there this spring and appears a logical candidate to succeed Altuve.

Dubón is valuable as a versatile utilityman, though. And the Astros still have several veteran infielders in camp — Brendan Rodgers, Luis Guillorme and Zack Short — who could be part of the plans at second base if they make the roster.

That decision could stretch into exhibition games Monday and Tuesday in Houston. Altuve is expected to play in both exhibitions, along with other regulars, to acclimate to playing left field under the closed roof at Daikin Park, Espada said.

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