This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
HOUSTON — The American League West race appears as though it will go down to the wire, which isn’t anything new for the Astros. Houston enters Saturday with a three-game lead over the second-place Mariners with 27 games remaining, which means it should be an exciting September.
In winning the previous four AL West titles, the Astros didn’t pop champagne bottles until the final three or four games of the regular season three times. In 2022, they had a huge lead in the division entering September and clinched the title with 14 games left. This year’s race figures to be another nail-biter.
Here’s a look at where the Astros stood entering September in the past four seasons and how the West was eventually won.
Where they stood entering September: 78-54, first place (five games ahead of A’s)
How they finished: The Astros finished strong, going 17-13 and clinching the AL West with a 3-2 win over the Rays in the 159th game of the regular season. The Astros were closing in on the division title a week prior, but they lost five out of six games, including a three-game sweep in Oakland. The surging Mariners closed to within 3 1/2 games with four games to go on Sept. 29 before Houston finally nailed it down.
How did they do in playoffs? They beat the White Sox in four games in the ALDS and beat the Red Sox in six games in the ALCS before losing to the Braves in six games in the World Series.
Where they stood entering September: 84-47, first place (11 1/2 games ahead of Mariners)
How they finished: There was no drama in September, with the Astros entering the month with a huge division lead before finishing 22-9 en route to a 106-win season. The Astros, who had a 10-game lead by late June, clinched the AL West in Game 148 with a 4-0 win over the Rays in St. Petersburg. They were rested and ready for the postseason.
How did they do in playoffs? The Astros swept the Mariners in the ALDS and the Yankees in the ALCS before beating the Phillies in six games in the World Series.
Where they stood entering September: 77-58, tied for first with Mariners (one game ahead of Rangers)
How they finished: A ho-hum 13-15 finish meant the AL West race would come down to the final day of the regular season, but the Astros were able to win their third consecutive division title with an 8-1 win in Arizona. The Astros’ 90th win of the season, combined with the Mariners’ 1-0 win over the Rangers, gave Houston the tiebreaker and the division crown. The Astros finished with the same record as Texas but owned the tiebreaker thanks to winning the season series, and earned the No. 2 seed in the AL playoffs.
How did they do in playoff? The Astros dispatched the Twins in four games in the ALDS before losing in seven games to the eventual World Series champion Rangers in the ALCS. The road team won each game, with Texas taking Games 6 and 7 in Houston.
Where they stood entering September: 74-62, first place (five games ahead of Mariners)
How they finished: The Astros went 14-11 in September, including 11-5 in their final 16 games, and clinched the division with a 4-3 win over the Mariners in Houston in Game 158. “I think we’ve gotten better over the course of the year each month,” third baseman Alex Bregman said. “As a ballclub, sometimes you have your best month early and I think ours is still ahead of us.”
How did they do in playoffs? Alas, it wasn’t. The Tigers swept the Astros in two games in the Wild Card Series in Houston, ending Houston’s run of seven consecutive trips to the ALCS.
