José Altuve returned to action with the Houston Astros on Wednesday, but his offense didn’t show up. He went 0-for-2 with a walk, leaving his slash line at .188/.270/.614 in Spring Training.
Beyond the numbers, the focus remains on his transition to left field, where he has committed two errors in consecutive days. Second base, his natural territory, seems to be getting further and further away.
The veteran Venezuelan didn’t shy away from the topic when speaking to the media after the game. He acknowledged his shortcomings, but made it clear that he won’t give up. «Obviously, not really happy about today’s and yesterday’s, but one thing I know for sure is when I want something to go my way, I’m going to do everything I can to do it», José Altuve told Brian McTaggart.
JOSÉ ALTUVE ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE
José Altuve‘s determination has been a constant throughout his career. At 34, he’s not looking for excuses, but for solutions.
Houston wants to take advantage of the Venezuelan’s versatility and add flexibility to its roster. However, the experiment in left field continues to raise questions.
In the Spring Training, his batting hasn’t been at its best, either. He’s only had six hits in 32 at-bats, with just one extra-base hit. However, his track record indicates that spring numbers don’t always reflect his regular-season performance.
«At the end of the day, I’m going to be playing good left field. How many games? It doesn’t matter what I play. I’m going to be working hard to be the best I can be in left field,» added José Altuve, with the conviction of someone who doesn’t shy away from challenges.
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Despite the mistakes, the Astros are confident that their captain will find a way to make this transition work. Time will tell if this experiment in left field is temporary or the beginning of a new phase in his career.
PHOTO: @Astros
