Jose Altuve reached a career milestone Sunday at Yankee Stadium, launching his 250th home run in the first inning off Yankees lefthander Max Fried.
Jose Altuve hits career home run No. 250! pic.twitter.com/RWOCuNCFxE
The two-out blast to left field caps another solid chapter in what’s been a Hall of Fame-caliber career for Houston’s longtime second baseman. At 35, Altuve’s still going strong in his 14th big league season.
What makes Altuve’s power numbers even more impressive? He’s doing it at just 5-foot-6 and 166 pounds – the shortest active player in MLB. The Venezuela native has been a fixture in Houston since making his debut in 2011, four years after the Astros signed him as an amateur.
Altuve came into this weekend series sitting at 2,354 career hits and needs just 127 more RBIs to reach the 1,000 mark. Not bad for a guy who’s redefined what scouts look for in a middle infielder.
The resume speaks for itself: nine All-Star selections, two World Series titles, the 2017 AL MVP award, a Gold Glove in 2015, and three batting titles. He’s been the heartbeat of Houston’s championship runs this decade.
Division Race Heating Up
Sunday’s game carried extra weight with the Astros clinging to a half-game lead over Seattle in the AL West. The Rangers aren’t going anywhere either, sitting just 5.5 games back in what’s shaping up to be a three-team race down the stretch.
For Altuve and the Astros, every milestone matters as they chase another October run.
