Altuve's clutch ABS challenge sets up Yordan's franchise-record-tying slam

HOUSTON -- If ever there was a time to roll the dice and use an ABS challenge, this was it.

With slugger Yordan Alvarez on deck and the bases loaded with two outs in the fourth inning Tuesday night, Astros second baseman Jose Altuve took a 3-2 pitch from Twins right-hander Joe Ryan that was called a strike, which would have ended the inning. Unlike Christian Walker in a key moment in the ninth inning a day earlier, Altuve didn’t hesitate. He patted his helmet as he took a few hops toward first base to signal he wanted a challenge.

A huge cheer erupted at Daikin Park when the scoreboard showed the pitch was 0.6 inches off the plate, resulting in a bases-loaded walk that forced in the Astros’ second run of the game. More importantly, the overturned call meant Alvarez would get to bat with the bases loaded.

What happened next was no surprise.

Alvarez crushed the second pitch he saw from Ryan and sailed it into the home bullpen in right-center field for a game-changing grand slam -- the seventh of his career, tying the franchise record -- that sent the Astros to a 6-4 win over the Twins.

“You’ve got to challenge that one,” Altuve said. “Especially with the bases loaded, two outs, we’re down in the game and Yordan hitting behind you, you have to take a chance. Thank God it was a ball and we created some momentum for Yordan to execute with the big homer.”

Astros manager Joe Espada said Altuve’s walk is what swung the game.

“He saw seven pitches and you could tell Joe Ryan was getting really tired after that at-bat,” he said. “He used a ton of pitches and Jose really squeezed him, and then Yordan with the big blow. But the Altuve at-bat was the at-bat of the game.”

Alvarez (3-for-4) broke an 0-for-16 slump with a scorching single in the first inning that had an exit velocity of 115.1 mph en route to his ninth three-hit game of 2026. The grand slam was his third of the season and seventh of his career, tying him with Alex Bregman, Carlos Lee and Altuve for the most grand slams in Houston history.

“I wanted to make sure to get a hit in that situation,” Alvarez said. “The previous at-bat I failed to get the runner home from third base.”

Alvarez’s three grand slams in 2026 tied Bregman (2023), Jose Altuve (2021) and George Springer (2016) for the most in a season in club history.

“I think the only guy that was worried about him was himself,” Altuve said. “Nobody was worried about him. Nobody was concerned about him going 0-for-16 because at some point he’s going to hit a home run … like he did today. And I bet you tomorrow he’s going to do similar stuff. He’s probably one of the best hitters I’ve ever seen in my career.”

Altuve said in Spring Training he wasn’t going to use the ABS challenge system, but no Astros player has used it more. And he’s done well, winning 15 of 21 challenges this year. Tuesday’s challenge might have been the biggest yet.

“I told him to just go for it, just to challenge in that situation,” Alvarez said. “When the umpire made the strike [call], there was no other alternative but to challenge.”

Alvarez entered Tuesday leading the Major Leagues in OPS and total bases and was tied for first in the American League with 25 home runs and 41 extra-base hits. Vying for his second All-Star starting nod and fourth selection overall, Alvarez leads Springer in Phase 2 of fan voting for the 2026 All-Star Game at designated hitter in the AL.

Phase 2 of voting is open now until 11 a.m. CT on Thursday. The All-Star Ballot will continue to be available exclusively online and via mobile devices at MLB.com/vote, all 30 club websites, the MLB App and the MLB Ballpark App. Fans may vote once per day during Phase 2.

His big swing Tuesday should help his chances of getting to Philadelphia on July 14.

“Trust me, it was fun to see that ball go over the fence,” Espada said.