BALTIMORE — Astros star second baseman Jose Altuve is not only one of the best players of his generation, but also one of the most easygoing and generous. Altuve’s kindness during Friday night’s 7-5 loss to the Orioles left a lasting impression on the 11-year-old, who considers him one of his idols.
Chris DiSalvo Jr., a young fan from Plainview, New York, was in town for a baseball tournament and walked to a front-row seat above the visitors’ dugout at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in the third inning and yelled at Altuve.
“I was telling him when he was on deck, ‘If you hit a home run, can I have your bat?’” DiSalvo said. “He hit a home run on the second pitch to right field. Right after he hit the home run and went back to the dugout, he ran up to me and called me over to give me the bat.”
Altuve hit an 0-1 changeup off Orioles starting pitcher Cade Povich and sent it over the right-center field fence for a two-run home run. Altuve’s move drew a huge cheer from the fans in the zone and gave DiSalvo the thrill of his life.
“He said, ‘You said that!’ and he gave me the bat,” he said. “Oh my God, I was shaking. It was crazy.”
Altuve said he didn’t feel good at bat and was happy to hit a home run and get back on track. He wanted to reward the youngster for his belief in him.
“At the end of the day, we play for the fans and we really appreciate all the support,” Altuve said. “Obviously, he’s not an Astros fan, but that doesn’t really matter. They came out here to enjoy the game and, like I said, he supported me and cheered me on. It was really cool that he called the home run.”
Altuve’s home run sparked a four-run third inning for the Astros, who had their nine-game road winning streak snapped when Anthony Santander hit an eighth-inning grand slam off Bryan Abreu to send the Orioles to a come-from-behind victory. Still, Altuve’s generosity dominated the day.
“Everything that happened tonight, that’s the culmination,” manager Joe Espada said. “That’s what it’s about. It’s about a good human being doing good things for others, the humility that he shows. And the kid called that home run, he hit the home run and the kid took the bat. We’re about to put that kid in uniform after that one. … Again, Jose has a kindness and he’s just a good person. That goes beyond what he does on a baseball field.”
DiSalvo is also a player, playing right field for his youth team that is playing in the Ripken Experience tournament this weekend. And like Altuve, DiSalvo is small in stature, making the nine-time All-Star a perfect role model for him.
“He’s my idol,” DiSalvo said. “I’m not really that tall and he’s not really that tall, so my dream is to play in the MLB when I get older. He’s a really nice man and I applaud him for that.”
DiSalvo’s father, Chris DiSalvo, said the family will try to attend games at 30 stadiums at some point. Camden Yards was their fourth, and it won’t be their last.
“As he gets older, we’re going to travel the country,” he said. “Houston will be next!”
The DiSalvos are Mets fans, but Altuve is now the family’s favorite player.
“I think it’s a fantastic thing that he did,” Chris Sr. said. “It’s great for baseball. He’s a true sportsman. Chris has loved him forever and it really made it a special day for him.”
When asked what he planned to do with the bat, Chris Jr. replied, “I’m going to put it in my room and not let anyone touch it.”
Altuve was the Astros’ nominee for the 2022 Roberto Clemente Award, given annually to the player who best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions both on and off the field. During spring training this year, Altuve took off his cleats and gifted them to a loyal Houston fan.
“It feels good to see kids wanting to play like you or like other players on the team,” Altuve said. “At the end of the day, we’re playing for the fans and we’re playing to inspire kids to make it to the big leagues and get better every day. It was a big moment for me.”
