If you happen to imagine in karma, that may be the very best rationalization for what’s taking place to the Houston Astros and, extra particularly, to José Altuve throughout the American League Championship Collection.

The often sure-handed second baseman seems to have developed a case of the postseason yips, having dedicated his third throwing error of the collection throughout Sport 3. It couldn’t have come at a worse time, both.

The Astros, already down 2-Zero within the collection to the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays, had been clinging to an early lead in Sport 3. They desperately want a win Tuesday evening to realistically maintain their push for an additional World Collection look within the wake of a sign-stealing scandal that has marred the 2017 title and tarnished Altuve’s repute (amongst others).

As an alternative of turning into an out, the most recent Altuve error opened the floodgates for a five-run Rays rally.

Usually, that’s a throw Altuve makes together with his eyes closed. In spite of everything, he went by your entire 60-game common season with out committing even one throwing error.

Proper now, it’s a throw the previous AL MVP would most likely prefer to keep away from in any respect prices.

Similar to Sport 2, when Altuve’s first throwing error was instantly adopted by Manuel Margot’s three-run house run, the Rays rapidly capitalized. It was Joey Wendle in Sport 3, giving Tampa Bay the lead with a two-run single.

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve reacts to his third throwing error throughout the ALCS. (Picture by Harry How/Getty Photographs)

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Then Hunter Renfroe broke it open with a two-run double, extending Tampa Bay’s result in 5-1. That one, by the best way, was an Altuve first-inning house run.

Altuve’s sudden struggles harken again to a different infielder who skilled the yips. Former Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees second baseman Chuck Knoblauch noticed his profession take an unlucky flip in 1999 when he might now not reliably make the comparatively easy throw to first base. Knoblauch dedicated 41 errors in a span of 231 video games, totally on poor throws.

Clearly, we haven’t reached that degree of concern but with Altuve. However given the circumstances surrounding him, the timing of he the miscues and the injury they’ve achieved to Houston’s postseason hopes, they might be baseball’s most well-known case in 20 years.

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