The Astros head into Sunday’s series finale against the Padres with the American League West race still locked in a tight, day-to-day squeeze.
Houston and San Diego close out their three-game set in the nightcap, with the game set for NBC as part of the Sunday Night Baseball package. The Astros have split the first two games, so Sunday decides the series.
Houston entered the day at 60-58, sitting just a half-game ahead of the Rangers after Texas beat Baltimore on Saturday to move back over .500. The Mariners were four games back.
At this point, it’s down to those three clubs, with the rest of the division already out of the picture. Depending on how the AL wild card race unfolds, only one playoff spot may be available.
The Padres are dealing with their own pressure. At 61-57, San Diego is third in the NL West and one game out of the final NL Wild Card spot.
Cristian Javier gets the ball for Houston, carrying a 1-2 record and a 6.59 ERA into the matchup. Randy Vasquez starts for San Diego, coming in at 7-6 with a 4.19 ERA.
The Astros will stay on the West Coast after Sunday, opening a three-game series with the Giants at Oracle Park on Monday. That’s followed by a day off on Thursday, then a stretch that could shape the division race.
Seattle comes to Houston for three games beginning Friday. After that, the Astros host the Angels from Aug. 18-20 and the Athletics from Aug. 21-23.
That nine-game run could give Houston some breathing room - or bring even more heat to a race that’s already razor-thin.
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Astros Suddenly Have A Post Break Slide They Cant Ignore
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Cristian Javier was back on the mound for just his third start since returning from injury, and the outing was encouraging only in the sense that he got through five innings. He still allowed four earned runs, which left Houston chasing the game after Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. delivered the kind of timely swings that have made the difference in close games. With a second straight series loss now on the books, the Astros are suddenly staring at a post-break slide they cannot afford to brush off. [Read more 🡒]