Dusty Baker: "He's due to break out and have some remarkable [performances]"
Jose Altuve has been one of the most consistent players in baseball throughout his career. He is talented, hardworking, and most importantly, reliable. That is until now. Jose Altuve is 0-19 so far this postseason. Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker, though, doesn't seem too concerned.
Baker came out in support of his star player after a stretch of poor performances. Baker is adamant that Altuve's slump is just a phase. He called on Altuve's teammates to step up and carry the load.
"He's due to break out and have some remarkable [performances]," said Baker.
"He's been good for so long and sometimes the rest of your lineup has to carry a guy like that until he gets going," added Baker.
The is one of the worst stretches we have seen in Jose Altuve's career. The eight-time All-Star has posted a combined .307 batting average over 12 seasons. His struggles at the plate are uncharacteristic.
Dusty Baker: “Hey man, this guy’s been good for a long time..I expect big things out of Altuve because he expects big things out of himself.” https://t.co/9kkz3hmRw0
"Dusty Baker: “Hey man, this guy’s been good for a long time..I expect big things out of Altuve because he expects big things out of himself." - Mark Berman
This season, Jose Altuve had a .300/.387/.533 slash line with 28 home runs and 57 RBIs in 141 games.
Fortunately for Dusty Baker, he has a plethora of talent on his roster. The Astros boast one of the strongest offenses in the league. The team was fourth in the MLB in home runs with 214 during the season. They ranked third in the American League with 737 total runs.
YORDAN ALVAREZ WALK OFF 3 HOME RUN!!
https://t.co/AXxBiR4bcB
"YORDAN ALVAREZ WALK OFF 3 HOME RUN!!" - Ben Verlander
The Astros have relied heavily on Yordan Alvarez to bail them out of trouble. The Dominican slugger hit two clutch home runs to lift the team to victories over the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS.
Rookie shortstop Jeremey Pena has also been a key player for the Astros. Carlos Correa's departure last offseason left a huge hole in the Astros' infield. Pena looks like a natural in the position. He has already racked up seven hits, five runs, and two home runs in four games this postseason.
Dusty Baker believes Jose Altuve will evetually come good in the 2022 MLB playoffs
The Astros keep winning despite Jose Altuve's struggles. They have yet to lose a game this postseason. The Astros swept the Seattle Mariners in three games during the ALDS. On Wednesday, they beat the Yankees 4-2 in Game 1 of the ALCS.
The Astros have enough depth in their lineup to overcome the struggles of their top players. They are a threat, with or without Jose Altuve.
The Houston Astros are now just seven wins away from clinching the World Series. Dusty Baker has reason to be confident after the team's recent performances.
They host the New York Yankees for Game 2 of the series tonight at Minute Maid Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:37pm/ET.