Houston Astros Newcomer Sheds Light on Team Culture, Jose Altuve

Trey Cabbage revealed what it's like playing for the Houston Astros.

Jul 11, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros right fielder Trey Cabbage celebrates in the dugout with teammates. / Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Last year, Trey Cabbage was playing against the Houston Astros. This year, he's playing for them.

When Cabbage came up with the Los Angeles Angels last summer, his MLB debut was against the Astros. He got to meet some of the players and caught a glimpse of them from across the diamond.

This year has been a completely different story. After getting traded to Houston last offseason, he's now seeing how the team operates from the inside.

And so far, he likes what he sees.

In a recent interview for Apollo Media, the 27-year-old outfielder opened up about joining the Astros and what he thinks of his new teammates.

Trey Cabbage on the Astros winning culture & being Jose Altuve’s teammate pic.twitter.com/anSXhKTXHL

— APOLLO MEDIA (@ApolloHOU) July 26, 2024

"Everybody in that clubhouse just wants to win. Everybody in that clubhouse just is fighting for the guy next to him, and it's awesome," Cabbage said. "If you're there to win, they don't care. They're just ready to go, and that's the best part about it. You can be whoever you need to be as long as we go out and win baseball games."

That's the benefit of having a veteran, battle-tested team. Some of Houston's players like Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve have been together for years, fostering a strong sense of camaraderie in the clubhouse that Cabbage immediately picked up on. He also said he felt welcomed despite coming over from a division rival.

As for his new teammates, Cabbage said Bregman was less serious than he expected, calling him "a kid." He's also a big fan of Altuve, citing his positive attitude and impressive work ethic.

"Oh, he's awesome. Every time he comes in, he's saying, 'What's up?' to everybody," Cabbage said. "You see him work, you see him bust his hind end, it's incredible. And then the stuff he's able to do just being the freak athlete that he is, it's crazy. And at 34, still doing it? Guy's a legend."

Suffice it to say, Cabbage seems to be comfortable and loving his new environment, especially now that the Astros have turned their season around. His performance has also improved, with his OPS jumping nearly 80 points from last year.

No wonder he's having so much fun.