Learn how a Houston Astros teammate has played a key role in Hunter Brown’s impressive 2025 MLB season.
Hunter Brown earned his first MLB All-Star selection this season, and he may have his Houston Astros teammate Jose Altuve to thank for the honor.
Midway through the 2025 season, Brown has lowered his ERA to 2.21, a significant improvement from last year’s 3.49 mark. He’s already tallied 129 strikeouts halfway through the season, just 50 short of his 2024 total of 179. Also, Brown’s strikeout rate has increased this year, sitting at 30.8% compared to 25.1% last season.
Brown’s improvements might stem from a conversation he had with Altuve. During an interview with MLB Network on Friday, Brown revealed that he asked the Astros second baseman what he would look for if he were hitting against him.
"He didn’t even blink," Brown said when beginning to answer the question. "He said, 'Hard and away.' And he said, 'He’d take me over the train tracks here.' So I knew something had to change quick."
Hunter Brown asked Jose Altuve what he'd look for when hitting against him...
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 11, 2025
Without hesitation, the @astros legend said he would sit on a fastball away and take him over the train tracks in Houston 😂 pic.twitter.com/5n15XeHig6
If one of the best hitters in MLB, like Altuve, would simply wait on a fastball away, then Brown likely realizes that other elite players are taking the same approach. That’s likely why he admitted he needed to make adjustments to his pitching.
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Although Brown was originally named to the AL All-Star team, he won’t pitch in the Midsummer Classic. The right-hander is scheduled to start Sunday’s series finale against the Texas Rangers, which makes him ineligible.
As a result, Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan was named to the American League All-Star team on Wednesday, marking the first All-Star selection of his career.
Category: Baseball
