Why was José Altuve removed from the Astros lineup?

The Removal Decision

Manager Joe Espada made the decision to remove José Altuve from the Astros lineup, with the manager publicly sharing his reasoning on April 25, 2026. This decision came after a sustained period of poor offensive performance that had become increasingly concerning to the organization.

Recent Performance Decline

Over his last 14 games dating back to April 7, Altuve has struggled significantly, posting a .180/.219/.262 line with just one home run, no steals, and three walks against 14 strikeouts. During this stretch, the Astros went 3-11, with Altuve unable to provide the production needed from a franchise icon.

Unusual Weakness Against Fastballs

A particularly troubling aspect of Altuve's decline is his sudden inability to hit fastballs, a pitch type against which he has historically excelled. Through 113 plate appearances in 2026, Altuve is hitting just .242 against fastballs with a .323 slugging percentage, a significant drop from his recent years of .354 (2023), .302 (2024), and .307 (2025). This struggle against velocity often indicates an aging player losing bat speed.

Age and Career Decline

At 36 years old and in his 16th season, Altuve has been showing signs of general decline. He has stopped running the bases and displays below-average bat speed and an unremarkable hard-hit profile. While he maintains a solid 14.4% walk rate and makes good pitch selections, the overall trend suggests his elite production years are behind him.