Jose Altuve breaking out at right time for Astros

PHILADELPHIA – Throughout the head-scratching slump this postseason – one that would reach a somewhat remarkable 0-for-25 – everyone in the Astros dugout more or less felt it was “just a matter of time” before Jose Altuve kicked it into gear.

That talk began toward the end of the Astros’ three-game sweep of the Mariners way back in the American League Division Series, but it was gratification delayed, even as Houston continued racking up postseason victories.

Finally, that “matter of time” just might have arrived in Game 2 of the World Series against the Phillies when, with his team trailing 1-0 in the best-of-seven series after a shocking come-from-behind Philadelphia victory in Game 1, Altuve produced his first three-hit game of the postseason.

The 32-year-old second baseman led off against Phillies postseason standout Zack Wheeler with a double, the first of three Houston doubles in the game, sparking the Astros to a 5-2 victory.

“We know when he goes, we go,” Alex Bregman said of his longtime teammate.

Except, somewhat oddly, that hadn’t really been the case in these playoffs. Even as the Astros’ victory total increased – they won their first seven games, including a four-game sweep of the Yankees in the ALCS – Altuve’s slump continued.

Though he did get two hits in the Astros 6-5 victory in Game 4 against the Yankees, Altuve came back with a 1-for-5 performance in Game 1 of the World Series, a 6-5 loss, and not hitting many balls especially hard.

That changed in Game 2 when he led off with a bullet double to left and added sharp singles in the fifth and seventh innings.

“Altuve, there's a lot of guys in our clubhouse who lead us and there are a lot of guys in our clubhouse who are vocal and things of that nature, but Altuve is the heart of this team,” said righthander Lance McCullers, whom Houston will send to the mound in Game 3 against former Met Noah Syndergaard. “He's been since I've been an Astro. So when he goes, our team feels very confident, and you saw it [Saturday night] with the way he got us started.”

For his part, Altuve said “early in the playoffs I was swinging at everything,” but felt he was “getting slowly better at swinging at my pitches” the last few games.

Getting out of his own head, which includes watching less video of his at-bats and not more, has helped as well.

“I think that lately the less I get in my mind it's going to be better,” said Altuve, who hit .300 with 28 homers and a .921 OPS in 141 games this season. “So just try to simplify everything, go out there…look for one pitch and put a good swing on the ball. That's what I did the last few days and it's been working for me and I've been feeling way better.”

Just the way veteran manager Dusty Baker has, for the better part of three weeks, has been saying things would get for the eight-time All-Star at the plate – better.

“If I say it every day, it's got to happen one of these days,” Baker said after Game 2. “You know just how I feel about Altuve. His track record speaks for itself. I mean, he swung the bat great [tonight]. It was a good feeling to get him to lead off like he's been doing all year in the first inning. Boy, it was great to see. All the guys on the team were extremely happy for him and for us to see him have that kind of game. Hopefully, he can continue and start to roll the way Altuve can roll.”