Baseball’s unwritten rules might need a rewrite—especially the one about keeping your cool. Tempers flared, logic disappeared, and accountability stayed missing in action. Somewhere between missed calls and misfired swings, the Houston Astros found themselves fighting more than just the opposing team. And at the center of it all? A frustrated manager and a fading Jose Altuve both embody a season teetering on absurdity.

The umpires, especially at home plate, have become a joke at this point in the season. While the Astros have done an average job this season, the umpires have been no help. In the game against the Texas Rangers, this led to an ejection. A post by Jomboy Media explains why Astros manager Joe Espada got ejected and why the umpires need to take some accountability.

The video showed a very low strike call by the umpire on Isaac Paredes. Manager Joe Espada had to step in and argue the call. However, this argument ended up compelling the umpire to toss Espada out of the game. This video was captioned, “Astros manager Joe Espada was LIVID after this called strike on Isaac Paredes and got tossed.”

With the Astros looking to get back into their 2024 form, they would want some help from the umpires and their batters, especially Altuve. If we keep the umpires aside for a minute, Altuve has been a big setback for the Astros this season.

He is dragging down the Astros with a fading bat and shaky glove work. His OPS sits at a disappointing .662, far from his All-Star standard. Defensively, a -0.8 WAR in left field highlights the misfit experiment. With just 4 homers in 143 at-bats, his power has vanished. Even his .252 average feels inflated.

In short, while the umpires are busy auditioning for comedy clubs, Altuve’s playing like he forgot the script. The Astros don’t just need better calls — they need their stars to show up. Until then, blaming blue won’t mask the lineup blues. Maybe someone should toss Altuve’s swing mechanics, too.

Altuve’s decline blamed on Astros’ decision to shift position

When a team starts playing chess with its roster, you’d hope they’re not using checkers logic. The Houston Astros, always keen on innovation—confusion, have rolled the dice on a veteran cornerstone. Enter Jose Altuve, the face of a franchise and now, apparently, an outfielder in training. What could go wrong when you tweak the engine of a championship car mid-race? As expected, not everyone’s clapping.

The Houston Astros may have lit the wrong fuse by repositioning Jose Altuve. Once a defensive mainstay at second base, Altuve’s shift to left field has raised eyebrows. Analyst Brian Kenny didn’t hold back, warning, “That obviously is post-prime for any player, especially a middle infielder.” The timing couldn’t be more questionable for the aging veteran.

Kenny pointed out a noticeable dip in Altuve’s offensive firepower. “In 2022 and 2023, he hit at an elite level,” he said, referencing OPS+ scores of 161 and 151. “But last year, that number fell to 126.” That’s still good, but a long drop from MVP-worthy. Coincidence? Or the weight of unfamiliar turf?

Jose Altuve’s arm strength is another glaring red flag in this experiment. “The throw from left field is drastically different,” Kenny noted. He added, “Altuve’s arm strength has been in the bottom 25% among second basemen.” Shuffling a franchise icon mid-decline might sound bold, but it looks more like blind optimism.

If arm strength is the issue, why toss him where the throw gets longer? The Astros seem to be solving a puzzle that wasn’t broken, with pieces that no longer fit. Altuve’s greatness deserves better than an outfield experiment. Strategy or spectacle, one thing’s clear—this chess move feels more like a coin flip.