Houston Astros fans believe the team can re-establish itself as an American League contender if Yordan Alvarez can stay healthy and the pitching staff avoids any more brutal injury setbacks, but there is a key X-factor that should not be dismissed. What if Jose Altuve provides decent production?

The franchise great has displayed signs of serious decline this season, struggling to generate extra-base power at the plate and failing to make a smooth transition to the outfield. His offensive shortcomings have naturally commanded most of the attention, due to a subpar .376 slugging percentage and .685 OPS. But Altuve significantly elevated those numbers in Tuesday's thrashing of the Athletics.

The 2017 American League MVP and seven-time Silver Slugger Award winner belted a solo home run in the third inning to increase the Astros' lead to 5-0. He then went yard again in the sixth, smashing a 410-foot two-run shot. Altuve had four hits overall in the 11-1 victory.

Considering he only had six dingers and six doubles entering this game, it is encouraging for fans to see the nine-time All-Star send the ball over the fence in Daikin Park.

If he can return to being the reliable offensive contributor who has captivated Space City for more than a decade, this ballclub can plausibly gain control of the AL West — trail Seattle Mariners by one and a half games. Altuve has been the key to Houston's enduring success, and regardless of how the roster looks in 2025, the same could be true again this season.

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How much longer will this run last for Jose Altuve, Astros?

Despite undergoing significant changes in leadership and personnel, the Astros have managed to either post a winning record or reach the playoffs in each of the last 10 years. During that stellar stretch, which does include the sign-stealing cheating scandal, Houston has won two World Series championships, four American League pennants and seven divisional titles. Even after the controversy, they remain relevant. No. 27 has helped cultivate this culture of consistency.

But asking him to post impressive production at 35 years old is a tall order. The Venezuelan has accumulated a ton of mileage since debuting in 2011 and can only hold off Father Time for so long. Though, even a diminished Jose Altuve can give pitchers fits. He terrorized the Athletics and now has four home runs in the last week.

The possible Hall of Famer is heating up and the Astros are in arm's reach of first place. Most people call this deja vu, but 29 other MLB teams call it a never-ending migraine.