If you believe in karma, that might be the best explanation for what’s happening to the Houston Astros and, more specifically, to José Altuve during the American League Championship Series.
The usually sure-handed second baseman appears to have developed a case of the postseason yips, having committed his third throwing error of the series during Game 3. It could not have come at a worse time, either.
The Astros, already down 2-0 in the series to the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays, had been clinging to an early lead in Game 3. They desperately needed a win Tuesday night to realistically sustain their push for another World Series appearance in the wake of a sign-stealing scandal that has marred the 2017 title and tarnished Altuve’s reputation (among others).