Astros could clinch AL West crown Monday, but concern falls on Yordan Alvarez
Houston was once 10 games behind the Mariners for first place but took advantage of Seattle's slump to get in position to clinch.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- On Monday, the Houston Astros could earn the American League West crown for the seventh time since 2017 if they defeat the Seattle Mariners during the clubs' series-opening game.
The video above is the ABC13 Houston's 24/7 Streaming Channel.
Given the team's rough start to the 2024 season, the Astros clinching may have been an unlikelihood. First-year manager Joe Espada's squad was under .500 in the standings through the first 81 games. In addition, Houston's lowest point of the year was on June 18, when the Astros fell to the worst team in the majors, the Chicago White Sox, and held a 10-game deficit to Seattle.
Since the White Sox loss, Houston surged, going 15-6 between that game and July 19, when the Astros grabbed first place in the division. A simultaneous Seattle 8-16 slump supported Houston during that run.
Entering Monday, the Astros sat with a magic number of two to clinch the division. A magic number for postseason qualification is calculated by a team's victory and the closest trailing club's losses. Houston positioned itself to get both its win and the Mariners' loss at any point during this last Astros home series.
The division title guarantees that Houston will begin the postseason with a home game, but whether that first game will be in the AL Wild Card Series or the Division Series has yet to be determined.
Houston is four and a half games behind the No. 2-seeded Cleveland Guardians for a bye to the ALDS. Houston will need to win and the Guardians to lose in the coming days to improve its chance of getting a home field spot. All this is to mention that the Astros and the Guardians face off in the season's final three games, beginning this Friday.
Otherwise, with the worst record of the division winners, Houston would begin its postseason in the Wild Card Series against the third wild-card team in the AL. That best two-out-of-three series starts on Tuesday, Oct. 1, with the winner advancing to the ALDS against potentially Cleveland.
A potential celebration on Monday could get clouded depending on Yordan Alvarez's diagnosis for his knee. The Astros sidelined the slugger during Sunday's loss against the Los Angeles Angels after sliding into second base and suffering a right knee contusion. Espada said Alvarez was "pretty sore" and was due to get imaging done on his knee.
Outside of postseason aspirations, Monday will also mark the final time the Astros wear their Space City City Connect uniforms that debuted during the team's 2022 season.
Eyewitness Sports is ready to bring you the celebration for the launch of Houston's path to a third World Series championship. Watch ABC13 throughout fall to follow the 'Stros.
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