A familiar scene unfolded at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday night as the Houston Astros clinched their seventh AL West title in the last eight seasons. The decisive game came against the Seattle Mariners, whom the Astros had been pursuing for much of the season after a poor start.
On June 18, the Astros were 10 games behind the Mariners, but by mid-July, they had tied for first place. After some fluctuations, they secured sole possession of the division lead on August 12 and have remained there since, ensuring that such a collapse won’t be repeated.
Despite the significant gap in the standings and numerous injuries throughout the season, the Astros maintained their confidence. First-year manager Joe Espada consistently reminded the team of their capabilities.
“‘We got this,’” he recalled telling the players, according to The Associated Press. “‘We are a good team. We’ve just got to go on a hot streak, and we’ll turn this around.’”
Espada expressed, “I never lost hope. When it comes to winning, knowing how to win and having the right ingredients is crucial; you must protect that, and that’s what we’ve done.”
Over the past decade, few teams have exemplified winning like the Astros. 2024 marks their eighth consecutive MLB playoffs appearance. They’ve reached the ALCS for seven straight seasons, capturing four American League pennants and two World Series titles.
After this impressive turnaround in just three months, the Astros have another opportunity to enhance their trophy case.
Houston locked in as AL’s third seed
With the division title secured and insufficient games remaining to surpass either the Cleveland Guardians or the New York Yankees, the Houston Astros have clinched the No. 3 seed in the American League playoff standings.
This positions the Astros for a Wild Card Series at home against the sixth seed, which is still to be determined. With just five days left in the regular season, four teams are vying for two American League Wild Card spots, separated by just 2 ½ games.
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