The Houston Astros lost a game on Tuesday night in extra innings against the Toronto Blue Jays by a final score of 4-3. One of the biggest reasons why the Astros were struggling is because of Jose Altuve.
Over his last seven games played before the Wednesday night matchup, he did not hit a home run or an RBI in that span. The Astros had a 2-5 record in that span. With Houston playing another game against Toronto on Wednesday night, did Altuve play in the game for the Astros or no?
Houston Astros Jose Altuve Did Not Start on Wednesday Against the Toronto Blue Jays
The Astros decided to not start Altuve on Wednesday because of his recent struggles at the plate. Well, Altuve was put into the game late as a pinch hitter and he went 0-for-1 in the game. Houston won the game over Toronto 3-2.
Well, maybe Altuve should not have been a pinch hitter in this game and maybe he should have stayed on the bench. There is a good chance that he could very well be back in the starting lineup on Thursday afternoon.
After Tuesday's loss against Toronto, fans were calling for Altuve to retire with how poorly he has played as of late. With that being said, he still has four more years remaining on his contract. In 141 games played for the Astros in 2025, Altuve has a .263 batting average with 24 home runs and 69 RBIs, along with nine stolen bases and six caught stolen base attempts. His on-base percentage is .327.
The Astros are going to need the 35-year-old to get out of his slump. Houston still leads the Seattle Mariners by one game and the Texas Rangers by 2.5 games for first place in the American League West. Altuve has played well before when the season is on the line and it would be a surprise if his slump continued.
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