HOUSTON -- Mauricio Dubón credits a lot of his growth as a hitter to learning from and chatting with two of the best in the game: Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez.

One particular talk with Altuve in July -- Dub¨®n¡¯s worst month of the season -- helped him turn things around at the plate.

¡°I think everything changed [when] we had this talk with Jose in Oakland,¡± Dub¨®n said. ¡°We tried to slug a little bit more, and that¡¯s when I hit the home run. I was not having a good series, so we just had a talk, and I think that¡¯s when everything changed.¡±

That ninth-inning go-ahead home run on July 23 may have done more than change the course of one series.

Dub¨®n picked up the pace after that, recording an .883 OPS in August and September to put the finishing touches on a breakout 2023 campaign in which he set career highs in almost every offensive stat.

Add in his ability to play multiple positions defensively, and Dub¨®n¡¯s emergence could prove key for the Astros in the postseason, beginning with the American League Division Series against the Twins, which starts on Saturday with Game 1 in Houston.

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As the club manages lingering injuries to Alvarez (right elbow) and Michael Brantley (right shoulder), Dub¨®n is manager Dusty Baker¡¯s go-to option in center field whenever player availability dictates it. After filling in at second base for Altuve, who missed the first 44 games of the regular season with a fractured right thumb, Dub¨®n earned his spot in center in the second half of the season -- with Baker opting to move Chas McCormick to left down the stretch.

The result has been Dub¨®n¡¯s best season in the outfield, with four Outs Above Average and two Defensive Runs Saved over 40 games.

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¡°I think it¡¯s the experience and going out there more frequently than every 10 days,¡± Dub¨®n said. ¡°You have an idea of what you¡¯re doing over there.¡±

On Friday, soon after Twins manager Rocco Baldelli and bench coach Jayce Tingler had a soccer workout in left field at Minute Maid Park, Baker complimented Dub¨®n -- who played soccer in high school.

¡°I like players that play multiple sports, especially soccer players, because they know where their feet are,¡± Baker said. ¡°That might sound corny, but some people have two left feet.¡±

During the Astros¡¯ 2022 World Series run, Dub¨®n filled in as a defensive replacement in six games. But he¡¯s still looking for his first playoff at-bat. His improvement as a hitter will give him that first plate appearance this postseason. Known for his bat-to-ball skills and contact approach, Dub¨®n became a fan favorite while playing every day at second base during Altuve¡¯s absence.

At the start of the season, Alvarez pointed out that Dub¨®n¡¯s bat head was dropping during his swing. The adjustment helped him record a 20-game hitting streak from April 2-26, tied for the second longest in the Majors this season.

But in the midst of a frustrating July (.501 OPS) and a self-proclaimed ¡°horrible series¡± in Oakland, Dub¨®n discussed changing his approach at the plate with Altuve.

Dub¨®n, who swings at a ton of pitches (seventh-most in the Majors), decided to shift slightly from hitting for contact to doing more damage. He posted a .520 slugging percentage the rest of the way.

¡°I stopped chasing hits,¡± Dub¨®n said. ¡°It was, for me, about seeing a pitch where you can actually do some damage. I was OK going back to the guys after striking out looking -- I¡¯m not going to strike out a lot, I¡¯m a guy that is going to put the ball in play. But, you know, trying to get my pitch and do damage.

¡° ... People say April was my best month, just because I had the hitting streak, but coming in this September and August, my OPS is over .900. Obviously, it has a big impact. I slug more. I get on base more. So, going forward in my career, that¡¯s going to be a big priority.¡±