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Jose Altuve Talks Getting Booed in 1st Trip to Yankee Stadium Since Astros Scandal

Jenna CiccotelliCorrespondent IIMay 6, 2021

Houston Astros' Jose Altuve (27) watches his eighth-inning, three-run, home run as he trots the base path in a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Thursday, May 6, 2021, at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
AP Photo/Kathy Willens

Houston Astros star Jose Altuve opened up about the not-so-warm welcome the team received when they visited the New York Yankees this week. 

The Astros, who haven't visited the Bronx since they were implicated in a cheating scandal at the end of 2019, were viciously booed from the start of their three-game series.

Yankees Videos @snyyankees

"You don't like to get booed by anybody, but that's part of the game" - Jose Altuve on if was difficult to focus during this series at Yankee Stadium pic.twitter.com/oQXlx5Oflw

On the field, the Yankees took the first two games of the three-game set before the Astros scratched out a win in the series finale Thursday.

The Astros were disciplined by the league in 2020 following an investigation into sign-stealing during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, a stretch that included their run to winning the 2017 World Series. The Astros defeated the Yankees in that year's American League Championship Series. 

Among their methods for conveying information about opposing teams' signs was banging on trash cans, a motif that Yankees fans capitalized on throughout the series. 

Stephanie Apstein @stephapstein

The first casualty of the Yankees-Astros game: an inflatable trash can confiscated by security pic.twitter.com/Ip6fK6xVYz

Marly Rivera @MarlyRiveraESPN

More 🗑 imagery! pic.twitter.com/T15QzrtLr1

Altuve, who was named the AL MVP that year over an equally deserving Aaron Judge, bore the brunt of the heckling from fans (warning: NSFW).

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

Yankees fans start a "F--k Altuve" chant 😳 @BRWalkoff<br><br>(via @BrendanKutyNJ)pic.twitter.com/Fnshy9xkR8

But apparently, the hate fueled Altuve, who hit a three-run home run on Thursday (his 31st birthday) that put the Astros on top. 

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

José Altuve gets a big 3-run HR in Yankee Stadium 👀 @BRWalkoff<br><br>(via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/H379qRzRN3

Mark Berman @MarkBermanFox26

Yordan Alvarez said after Jose Altuve hit his three-run homer “we reminded him that he’s the MVP.”

If all of the drama wasn't enough the first time, the two teams are set to meet again in Houston for a three-game series July 9-11.