HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The Houston Astros might want to enjoy their day off on Thursday following a successful 8-1 road trip. Their next break from baseball won’t come until the day after Labor Day.
And remember, avoid wearing white.
The Astros, with a record of 65-55, currently lead the American League West by three games over the second-place Seattle Mariners, who were recently swept by the Detroit Tigers.
After a rough start to the 2024 season, the Astros now find themselves in a much better position than they were on June 18, when a loss to the Chicago White Sox left them 10 games behind the Mariners. Since then, Houston has made a significant turnaround with a 13-game swing, thanks to a 31-15 record compared to Seattle’s 19-27 over the same period.
A detailed review of this turnaround would take more than 1,000 words, but in brief, Houston’s pitching staff has managed through injuries to key players like Justin Verlander and Cristian Javier. Hunter Brown, Spencer Arrighetti, and Ronel Blanco have stepped up as starters, while Framber Valdez almost secured a second no-hitter and trade-deadline acquisition Yusei Kikuchi has impressed in his starts. On the offensive side, Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez, and catcher Yainer Diaz have remained steady, even with Kyle Tucker on the injured list since June 3.
The Astros have 42 games left in the season. Whether they will secure a division title, a wild-card spot, or miss the playoffs entirely is still uncertain.
The road ahead is challenging, starting with a series against the White Sox at Minute Maid Park on Friday. The White Sox, with a 25-93 record, have recently defeated the New York Yankees 12-2, showing they shouldn’t be underestimated. The Astros will then face 18 consecutive games without a break, including matchups against the Boston Red Sox at home, a four-game series in Baltimore, a three-game series in Philadelphia, four games at home against the Kansas City Royals, and a three-game road series against the Cincinnati Reds.
Oddly, the Astros will play the Reds in their 18th game, take a day off, and then continue the series. Major League Baseball has its quirks.
The Orioles, Phillies, and Royals, who are all in playoff contention, will be significant challenges for the Astros as they aim to maintain their position.
Regarding odds and projections, ESPN Bet lists Houston as a -400 favorite to win the division, with 5.5 to 1 odds for the AL pennant and 12 to 1 for the World Series, trailing behind the Dodgers, Yankees, Phillies, and Orioles.
FanGraphs gives the Astros a 78.7% chance of winning the division and a 13.2% chance of clinching one of the top two AL seeds. Overall, the Astros have an 84% chance of making the postseason.
Currently, Houston is 6 games behind the second-seed Yankees and 6.5 games behind Cleveland for the top spot in the league.
Get ready for a thrilling end to the season, ‘Stros fans!
