'I just love it': Astros set for Mexico trip

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO -- Jose Altuve loves Mexico. He loves the people, he loves the scenery and he loves the food. So you can imagine how excited the All-Star second baseman is to travel with the Astros this weekend for the Mexico City Series, a two-game set against the Rockies in Mexico's capital city.

The series, which will take place Saturday and Sunday at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú, will mark the seventh regular-season series played in Mexico, including the Astros’ first international series in 2019, when they faced the Angels in Monterrey. Houston played a pair of exhibition games against the Padres in Mexico City in 2016.

“They love baseball as much as fans in America,” Altuve said. “We have a day off there and you can go and try authentic Mexican food. I just love it. I love to explore and get to know different things. I’ve been to Mexico -- I played there with the Astros -- but I’ve also been there for vacation and it’s an amazing country with amazing people. I’m really looking forward to it.”

The success of the previous six Mexico Series is a sign of how much baseball has grown in popularity. And baseball is riding a new wave of popularity in Mexico on the heels of last year’s World Baseball Classic. Mexico upset two-time runner-up Puerto Rico in the quarterfinals to reach the semis, where it lost to eventual champion Japan in a thriller. Mexico had never made it past the second round previously.

“They’re very passionate about baseball,” Altuve said. “I feel like baseball has grown a lot in Mexico the last four or five years. Hopefully, it keeps growing and why can’t we have an MLB team in Mexico one day? I would love it.”

On Opening Day, there were 12 Mexican-born players on Major League rosters, down from 15 a year ago. The Astros led MLB for the fourth year in a row with 16 foreign-born players, including Mexican-born José Urquidy. He’s one of 12 Mexicans to have played for the Astros in their history.

Urquidy, whose three career World Series wins are the most by a foreign-born player, is from Mazatlán and has been on the injured list since the spring. It’s unlikely Urquidy will be healthy in time to pitch this weekend, but he could travel with the team to Mexico.

“Expanding the baseball culture in Mexico with these games is fun,” said Astros manager Joe Espada, who’s from Puerto Rico. “Fans get into it. It reminds me of back home in winter ball and the [World Baseball Classic] with the energy. The players get excited to go out and play in different venues. It’s good for the game. I’m looking forward to it.”

Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú will be the 35th ballpark in which Altuve has played in a Major League game, including Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey and Sahlen Field in Buffalo, N.Y. (the Astros played the Blue Jays there in 2021).

“I’m proud to play all these years in all these stadiums and hopefully I keep playing in different ballparks,” Altuve said. “I’d love to play in my country [Venezuela], a Major League Baseball game before I retire.”