HOUSTON — When Jose Altuve stepped to the plate to start the bottom of the first inning in Game 2 of the World Series on Wednesday night, he was 3 for 29 since the start of the American League Championship Series. That included an 0-for-5 performance in the World Series opener against Atlanta on Tuesday.
There was no hiding the ugliness, not that Altuve would have tried. As the leadoff hitter for a Houston Astros franchise stained by its 2017-2018 cheating scandal, Altuve has learned this season, with fans back in stadiums, that he cannot hide. He has been the primary target of rival fans all year.