The Legend Grows

By: Mike Rifkin

In the top of the ninth inning, trailing by two runs, the Houston Astros had the right man up. With two runners on, Second Baseman Jose Altuve hit a go-ahead three-run home run to give the Astros a 5-4 victory and a 3-2 series lead in the ALCS. The home run gave Altuve another big-time moment in October. 

In his career in the ALCS, Jose Altuve is hitting .288 with 11 home runs and 22 RBI in 40 games played. Altuve is a .270 hitter in the playoffs with 26 home runs and 54 RBIs. But the clutch hits like the one he had Friday night make Altuve a big-time postseason star. Yes, he catches flack from what happened in 2017, but the Astros have been to three World Series since, are on the verge of a fourth, and have won one World Series Championship. You can label Altuve whatever you’d like, but he’s a winning ball player and should be mentioned in the same breath as Derek Jeter and Reggie Jackson because Altuve is now the active Mr. October. When his career is all said and done, Jose Altuve should take his place in Cooperstown based on his postseason accolades. Whether you like Altuve or not, his postseason legend grew on Friday night.