Altuve insists health behind ASG choice: 'My opinion should be respected'

The Houston Astros won't be represented at this year's All-Star Game because all of their selected players are skipping the event for a variety of reasons, mostly injury-related.

Plenty of skeptics are questioning the players' motivations, wondering if they're actually trying to duck questions about the 2017 sign-stealing scandal while also avoiding what would have been a hostile crowd on Tuesday.

But the Astros' All-Stars continue to insist health is the only reason they won't be in Denver.

"I respect everybody's opinion, like I did in the past," second baseman Jose Altuve told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. "I'm respecting everybody. Everywhere I go, I'm respecting people. I feel like my opinion should be respected, too.

"This is just my only issue - my leg. I've said it many times. I want to win this year. That's the only thing."

He added that wanting to win another title in Houston with fellow All-Star Carlos Correa, who could leave the team as a free agent this offseason, also factored into his decision.

Correa, Altuve, outfielder Michael Brantley, and reliever Ryan Pressly were selected as the Astros' All-Stars. Pressly will miss the game because his wife is giving birth, while Correa is on the COVID-19 injured list (the shortstop initially said he wanted to spend time with his pregnant wife).

Altuve and Brantley have continued to play since saying they're opting out due to injuries. That's caused eyebrows to raise, but manager Dusty Baker confirmed they're playing through a few aches and pains.

"Just because they're playing, just because they're running decent, doesn't mean they're not (hurting)," Baker said.

"Michael is coming off a rib cage thing. They don't heal," he continued. "Altuve, he wants to play every day. I tried to talk him into DHing just a couple of days ago. He said 'no, I'd rather play.'"

Baker, who took over as manager after AJ Hinch was fired and suspended for his role in the scandal, also rejected the notion that his players are finding excuses to avoid answering for 2017.

"Sooner or later, we've got to get over what happened a couple of years ago. Sooner or later, all of us have to get over it," Baker said. "Like I said earlier in the year, are they booing the person, or are they booing the uniform?

"They're booing Michael, they're booing (Kyle) Tucker. These guys weren't even here."