The Houston Astros are facing a tough stretch. They lost 8-3 to the Atlanta Braves on Sunday and have gone 4-6 in their last 10 games. Right now, Houston trails the Seattle Mariners by just one game in the American League West.
Seattle has been rolling lately, winning nine of their last 10 games, and currently holds an 82-68 overall record. With the Mariners leading the division, the Astros now face a must-win three-game series against the Texas Rangers, who are only two games back for the final wild card spot in the American League. The Rangers are also hot, going 7-3 in their last 10 games.
Houston needs to win at least two of the three games against Texas to maintain control of the wild-card race. If Texas sweeps, the Rangers could overtake Houston in the standings and gain serious momentum.
After the Rangers series, the Astros will face Seattle in another three-game matchup starting Friday. Houston has made the playoffs every year since 2017, but their recent struggles raise the possibility of finishing third in the AL West, something they haven’t faced in recent seasons.
The pitching matchups for Monday’s first game will be Jack Leiter for the Rangers (9-8 record, 3.81 ERA, 130 strikeouts) against Jason Alexander for the Astros (4-1 record, 4.19 ERA, 55 strikeouts). Winning the opener is key. A Rangers win would put pressure on Houston, while a win for the Astros would push Texas three games back and give Houston a big advantage heading into the rest of the series.