The Houston Astros secured their fourth straight AL West title with a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners. This win also marks their eighth consecutive year in the playoffs.
The Astros faced a daunting challenge earlier this season. They were trailing the Mariners by 10 games in mid-June, leaving them in a tough position. First-year manager Joe Espada worked hard to keep the team’s spirits up. “We got this,” he told his players. “We are a good team. We’ve just got to go on a hot streak and we’ll turn this around.” After the game, a celebratory Espada reflected, “And we did.”
The Astros are the first team to win the AL West for four consecutive seasons since the Oakland Athletics did so from 1971 to 1975. This marks the Astros’ seventh division title in eight years, with their only miss coming in the shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19.
After starting the season with a 7-19 record, the Astros faced their lowest point on June 18. However, they rebounded with seven straight wins, part of a 13-2 stretch that brought their record to 46-42 by July 5. By mid-August, they had moved into first place and secured the division title with a record of 79-53 after a difficult start.
The Astros dealt with significant injuries throughout the season. Key pitchers José Urquidy and Cristian Javier both underwent Tommy John surgery in June, while Framber Valdez missed most of April. This situation led to rookie Spencer Arrighetti and Ronel Blanco stepping up in the rotation. Blanco even threw a no-hitter in his debut and ended with 12 wins and a 2.88 ERA. Arrighetti was named AL Rookie of the Month for August.
Hunter Brown contributed to the team’s success with an 11-9 record and a 3.49 ERA. This was especially crucial since three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander made only 16 starts due to injuries. Verlander praised the young pitchers, saying, “We wouldn’t be here without them.”
In addition to pitching struggles, the Astros had to adjust their lineup. They released veteran José Abreu after a poor start and dealt with the absence of Kyle Tucker, who fractured his shin in June. Despite these challenges, the team found a way to rebound and reach the playoffs.
Kyle Tucker expressed the importance of the postseason, stating, “This is what you play for. Every year is special. You never know when you’re going to have this opportunity again.” The Astros aim for their third World Series title after previously winning in 2017 and 2022.
Houston has also reached seven consecutive AL Championship Series during this span, capturing two additional pennants before losing in the World Series to Washington in 2019 and Atlanta in 2021.
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