Once a rather ho-hum affair, the American League Wild Card race has become just as exciting and riveting as the free-for-all that is taking place in the National League. Perhaps even more so, when considering the caliber of teams vying for the last couple of spots in the MLB playoffs. There is a legitimate possibility the Houston Astros could miss October entirely.

That doesn't seem like a sound wager to make when considering their championship pedigree and roster, but they are just one game clear of the danger zone. Experience alone might not be enough to leap over the Texas Rangers in the AL West or hold off the Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card standings. For so long it has been the Astros and everyone else, but the gap may finally be starting to close.

Although Houston remains the most dangerous club in the AL, it is running out of time to fully stake that claim in the regular season. The Astros do not often have to sweat it out. Their precarious position makes them a prime target for all of their upcoming opponents, including those who seemingly have nothing to play for like the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees.

We all doubt Jose Altuve, Kyle Tucker, Dusty Baker and the rest of this battle-tested squad at our own peril, but it is still important for us to identify the potential impediments to another signature Houston postseason run. Here are the two biggest concerns facing the Astros in the final stretch of 2023.

The lineup is not playing up to its potential

On paper, this offense is tailor-made for the MLB playoffs. A lethal mix of raw power and clutch hitting has worked wonders in years past and should be ready to wreak havoc on opposing pitchers again this October. However, there are more holes and regression than some might want to admit.

Jose Abreu has been among the most disappointing acquisitions in baseball this season, hitting just .234 with 10 home runs and a shockingly low .290 on-base percentage and and .343 slugging. Aside from a solid 57 RBIs in 111 games played, the 36-year-old first baseman has been a complete flop. A turnaround could be coming (he has played better since a dreadful first two months), but we can't rule out a natural decline. Unfortunately for Abreu and the Astros, Father Time might have snuck past Minute Maid Park security and grabbed a hold of the 2020 MVP.

He is not the only one underperforming, though. 2022 postseason hero Jeremy Pena has not taken the second-year jump fans had hoped. While he has improved in certain crucial areas like plate discipline, the World Series and ALCS MVP ranks below league average with an 88 OPS+.

His defense is also dipping overall. Now, none of that matters if the 25-year-old shortstop comes through again in the big moments. And there could be plenty of those in the next 33 games. A strong August, which includes three mutli-hit showings in his last five is a good indicator that Pena is heating up for the postseason push. But his production is still worth monitoring.

We can't just blow past Chas McCormick's breakout year- has a terrific .284/.370/.534/.904 slash line- or the big bat that catcher/DH Yainer Diaz is wielding. That level of production could be hard to sustain for non-established star players, though.

With a questionable bottom part of the lineup, more onus will be on the core guys of this group. Altuve, Tucker, Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman have all proven capable of carrying that load, but this offense is not quite as scary as it could be at this point.

Astros Starting pitching rotation lacks depth

Houston has been exemplary at piecing together a competent starting staff throughout its reign of terror. Lance McCullers Jr. can't stay healthy? Welcome aboard Framber Valdez. Gerrit Cole is headed to New York? No problem, meet Cristian Javier. The pitching rotation even survived Justin Verlander's departure for the first-half of 2023, boasting one of the best team ERAs in baseball. Things have changed since then, however.

Javier has been in free fall over the last three months and does not currently look like a reliable No. 3 option for the playoffs. After recording an eye-opening 194 strikeouts in 2022, the right-hander is not throwing the same swing-and-miss stuff in 2023, per The Astros Locker WS Champs. A high K rate doesn't matter as long as you put zeros on the scoreboard, but Javier is getting shelled.

The red flags continue further down the rotation. Jose Urquidy and Hunter Brown each have ERAs greater than 4.50 and are susceptible to the long ball. J.P. France was putting together a superb rookie campaign until he ran into huge trouble Thursday afternoon against the Red Sox. The 28-year-old righty surrendered a whopping 10 runs in 2 1/3 innings, which ballooned his ERA from 2.75 to 3.51. How France responds to such a disastrous outing could be crucial for Dusty Baker and company going forward.

As you can see, Verlander's return to Houston is a godsend to this team's title aspirations. Although his 3.19 ERA and 1.18 WHIP is a far cry from his unreal 2022 CY Young campaign, the future Hall of Famer is still among the best pitchers in the game. He also thrives during this time of the year.

But are Verlander and Valdez enough to lead this franchise to its seventh-straight postseason? Looking at some of the other staffs that will be wrestling the Astros the rest of the way, there is genuine uncertainty. To be safe, Javier will need to get out of his massive slump fast.

On the edge but still hard to deny

Two-time champions and four-time pennant winners tend to be afforded considerable benefit of the doubt. Houston oozes top-notch preparation and composure, qualities that come in handy for a playoff face. This organization has survived a cheating scandal, malicious boos, injury problems and major departures in both the field and front office. It still resides at the apex of this sport.

But there are some chinks in the armor. Opponents will keep chipping away and hope they have enough skill and will to finally vanquish the Houston Astros. We are in unfamiliar territory, but it will take the persistence and amplification of these aforementioned concerns to mark the end of this reign of terror.