Mentor to Major League Stardom: How Jose Altuve Helped Oakland A’s Infielder Abraham Toro Become a Better Player

Oakland Athletics infielder Abraham Toro has credited his former Houston Astros teammate, José Altuve, with helping him become a better player. In a recent interview with NBC Sports California’s Shooty Babbit, Toro shared the valuable advice he received from Altuve that emphasized the mental aspect of the game and taught him to approach each at-bat with a plan against the pitcher.

Toro made his MLB debut with the Astros in 2019 and played alongside Altuve until he was traded to the Seattle Mariners in 2021. Despite struggling to find consistency in his performance during his MLB career, Toro has excelled in his first year with the Athletics. His career-high batting average of .272, along with 63 hits, 21 RBI, and 5 home runs, demonstrate the positive impact of Altuve’s advice on his approach to the game.

Toro admires Altuve even before debuting in the majors and found his guidance particularly helpful as he transitioned to MLB. Although Altuve’s reputation was marred by the sign-stealing scandal that tainted the Astros’ 2017 World Series victory, Toro admires him as a mentor and credits him for his success. Toro’s improved performance this season suggests that the advice he received from Altuve has contributed to his development as a player. Despite the controversy surrounding Altuve, Toro values the lessons he learned from his former teammate and continues to apply them on the field.