MLB postseason: Pivotal players for each contending team
By Bill Felber
Houston Astros
74-47, +2 games in AL West
Jose Altuve, 2nd base
As the reigning AL MVP and the Astros’ inspirational leader, Altuve is an obvious choice to play a pivotal role for Houston. That status is only intensified by the fact that Altuve was batting .329 when he went to the disabled list with knee problems July 25. His .857 OPS is well-off his 2017 MVP season, but still well above both the league average and his .819 career average.
He is expected back before the end of August, and the Astros need him. They’re 7-10 since Altuve left the lineup, and they have lost all but two games of their divisional lead. In his absence, Houston has averaged 4.1 runs per game. While that figure sounds average, it is bolstered by two games in which they scored 14 and 12 runs. In the other 15 games, the Altuve-less Astros have averaged just 2.93 runs.
Between now and the end of August, the Astros have six games with the second place Athletics and three with the third place Mariners. Altuve is hitting .520 against the Mariners and .345 against the A’s this season, so it would be no small comfort to Houston fans if he returned to the field for at least a couple of those August games to boost their MLB postseason case.