Jose Altuve Overcame His Shyness, Let Reporters See His Tattoo
By Kyle Koster
Jose Altuve did not want his teammates to rip off his jersey following a walk-off homer in last year's ALCS.
Altuve making sure he keeps that jersey on (via r/nyyankees) pic.twitter.com/OO32FVFxTi
— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) January 16, 2020
The very shy former MVP was apparently concerned people, including his wife, would see an in-progress tattoo. A bad one. It was an explanation met with shakers full of salt as allegations raged that Altuve and other Houston Astros hitters wore buzzers, a claim that was vehemently denied.
Internet sleuths dug up this picture of Altuve from two-plus months' previous and no tattoo is present, which doesn't really prove anything but fueled even more fire.
This ain’t adding up. I was told that Jose Altuve had a tattoo on his collar bone back in 2017... But on July 29, 2019 he is pictured without one... pic.twitter.com/sKrI15fm6S
— Dom Compoz (@Dominic_Compoz) February 16, 2020
Perhaps in a response, Altuve took it upon himself to disrobe in front of baseball writers this morning so he could show off the ink, which exists.
Jose Altuve just walked by a group of reporters, took his shirt off, turned around bare-chested, grabbed another shirt and put it on.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 17, 2020
Yes, there was a tattoo on his left collarbone. I’m not sure if it was bad or not.
Jose Altuve will speak to reporters after today’s workout. He just entered the Astros clubhouse shirtless, exposing a tattoo on his left shoulder that said “Melanie.”
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 17, 2020
So there you have it. Altuve got a tattoo at some point between July of last year and today. And it says Melanie. This gives a bit more credence to the excuse given but, again, does not mean the buzzer thing is fully debunked.
Since snapping photos of shirtless players is frowned upon in the locker room (don't find out the hard way), the public at large will have to wait to see this ink. If the Astros are smart they'll run some promotion where the first 10,000 fans get a print of said tattoo. Or, even better, a replica press-on tattoo of their own.
Just a free idea there for a franchise looking to turn lemons into lemonade.