“We can start a good stretch when we win a lot of games" - Jose Altuve reflects on Astros' current situation following gruesome start to new season

Jose Altuve has witnessed more peaks and valleys as a member of the Astros than anyone else on the team. Now, with the Astros off to their most sluggish start in years, teammates are looking to the second baseman to provide some hope.

Recently, Chandler Rome caught up with Altuve following the Astros' 7-2 defeat to the Cubs in Chicago on Tuesday. The loss marked the 17th of the season for the Astros, the second highest in the AL to date.

Now last in the AL West, the Astros are staring down the worst start to the season since 2013, since finishing with a league-worst 51 wins. As one of the few players who was around during those dark days for Houston, Jose Altuve offered his opinion, suggesting to Rome:

“We can start a good stretch when we win a lot of games"

For most of Jose Altuve's tenure with the team, they have been able to get things done.

After the sordid 2013 campaign, Houston began to rapidly improve. After qualifying for the 2015 ALDS, the Astros defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the 2017 World Series and followed up with Fall Classic wins in 2019 and 2022.

"The Astros currently have the second-worst record in the American League at 7-15 (likely 7-16 soon) ahead of just the 3-17 White Sox... What is going on with Houston?" - Just Baseball

The 2024 season, though, has been quite different. Following a sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees on opening weekend, the Astros failed to find their stride.

Currently on a three-game winless streak, the team's only series win of the season so far came against the Toronto Blue Jays in early April.

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Jose Altuve aims to motivate underperforming teammates

Although his personal play has been stunning, the Astros are still not winning games.

The Venezuelan leads his club in both runs and hits and has contributed five home runs, seven RBIs and a batting average of .357. In the same interview with Rome, Jose Altuve added:

"We have stretches where we win eight out of 10, and I say we have a great team. I’m going to say the same thing right now: we have great players, guys encouraging each other to go out there and win games. We still have that team"

Few would deny that the Astros have a lot of firepower, but if that power is not being used, it ceases becoming a defining feature.