Every championship team has obstacles to go through. Most of them are not self-inflicted, but internal flaws can lead to the downfall of a contending team. The MLB playoffs are not for the weak. Only those who can remain consistent will win titles. The Houston Astros know a lot about that.
The Astros are the most successful team in the majors over the past decade. Cheating scandal aside, Houston has two World Series titles and reached the ALCS every season since 2017. They're on the verge of another division title in 2024 and will again be among the contenders for the World Series.
The Astros won their two championships in different ways, but they know more than any team how to overcome adversity in the postseason. Houston won’t be as feared as they're used to being with other MLB teams having confidence they can beat the big boys on campus.
Houston is close to clinching a playoff berth. To succeed in the playoffs the Astros will need everyone in the lineup to contribute. That hasn’t always been the case this year, especially in the outfield. Besides the monster production of Yordan Alvarez and a healthy Kyle Tucker, Astros outfielders haven’t done much.
Astros outfield weighing down lineup
The Astros have long had a daunting lineup. With Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez, the Astros have arguably the best hitting trio in the league. They have a successful track record both in the regular season and the playoffs. If Houston is going to make another deep postseason run, they'll have to be red hot in October again.
The Astros also need their role players to step up, especially their outfield. The production is increased when Alvarez or Kyle Tucker are in the corners. Alvarez splits his time as a designated hitter though and Tucker has yet to return to his everyday post in right field.
The latter should be good to go for the playoffs, but that still leaves Houston with a dilemma at one and likely two outfield positions. Most notably center field, where the Astros have received a combined .636 OPS from five players, good enough for 25th in MLB.
Houston's outfielders combined have a 1.2 bWAR. It's been a struggle without Tucker for much of the season. Even with the three-time All-Star back in the lineup, the Astros outfield hasn’t produced much at the plate. Houston's outfielders hit a combined .229 over the last seven days.
It's to be expected that Tucker will return to form and Alvarez will be the stud that he is regardless if he's in left field or DH. If he is the designated hitter, that leaves two outfield spots for the Astros to figure out.
Among their options are Jake Meyers, Mauricio Dubon and Jason Heyward. Meyers is hitting .221 this season, Dubon has a .655 OPS and Heyward has nine hits in 17 games with the Astros after hitting .208 with the Dodgers.
Houston does not have reliable options in the outfield and will continue to search for solutions before the playoffs begin on Oct. 1. Can the Astros still win with essentially seven players in the lineup? That's if they show up…
Houston gearing up for playoff run
The Astros are in a unique position with less than two weeks remaining in the regular season. Houston is basically set as the third seed in the American League which means they'll host the sixth seed and final Wild Card team in a three-game series.
The Astros have yet to play in the three-game Wild Card Series since it was implemented in 2022. Houston earned a bye to the Division Series each of the last two years. It looks far-fetched for them to catch the Cleveland Guardians who have a 5 1/2-game lead on Houston for the second seed.
While it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the Astros find themselves in the World Series again, they are not the favorite in the American League. Houston won’t be an easy out though, especially if they look at it as a “Last Dance” season. Alex Bregman and Justin Verlander are free agents and there are questions about the rotation next season.
The Astros undoubtedly believe they can keep competing in 2025 and beyond. They'll have to make a few moves to solidify the roster regardless of how they fare in the 2024 postseason. Avoiding a similar start to the season will be key to success in 2025.
Houston will be rocking for the postseason and don’t ask any Astros fan if they think the team has a chance to win the title this year. They will say yes for sure and it would be foolish to doubt them given Houston's track record in the playoffs. The Astros know how to win and will try to use that experience to gain an edge on opponents throughout the 2024 MLB playoffs.
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