The Houston Astros are still hanging around in the AL West race, and last week gave them a real boost.
After missing the postseason in 2025, Houston entered the 2026 season trying to get back into the mix. The path has not been smooth, but the club has stayed close enough to matter. Thanks in large part to Yordan Alvarez and what he has done with the bat this season, the Astros sit only three games under .500 and just two games behind the division-leading Texas Rangers.
A 5-1 week helped tighten things up even more. Houston opened with a three-game sweep of the Miami Marlins, then followed that by taking two of three from the Chicago White Sox, who have been playing well this year.
That stretch was enough to move the Astros up in Bleacher Report’s latest power rankings, where Joel Reuter pushed them from No. 22 to No. 17.
"The Astros continue to do just enough to hang around in the gray area between buyer and seller, as they won five in a row last week and are just two games back in the AL West standings. A big three-game series with the Texas Rangers at home awaits this weekend as they look to seize control of a wide-open division race."
Before that showdown with Texas, Houston will face the Los Angeles Angels starting on Monday. If the Astros can keep this momentum rolling, the standings could look very different by the end of the week.
In Other News...
Astros May Be Headed Toward The Jeremy Pea Decision Fans Feared
The shortstop market is already starting to take shape, and Jeremy Pea has landed in the middle of it. Boston is looking for a right-handed answer at the position, and Pea has emerged as one of the names on the Red Soxs radar alongside Zach Neto, a reminder that Houstons infield situation is being watched well beyond the AL West.
For the Astros, the larger issue is what comes next with Pea and whether the front office views this as a hold-and-hope situation or a chance to act before the decision gets harder. Houston has to weigh the value of keeping a player with real appeal on the trade market against the risk of letting the clock run, and that kind of calculation can quickly reshape the conversation around the rosters direction. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Make Rotation Move As Pressure Builds On Unsettled Staff
Hayden Wesneski is back in the picture for Houston at a time when the rotation could use some clarity, and the club is set to give him the ball in the series finale in Anaheim. The right-hander, acquired from the Cubs as part of the Kyle Tucker trade, has spent the past year-plus working back from Tommy John surgery and a minor league rehab assignment, giving the Astros another option as they try to steady a staff that has leaned on Hunter Brown, Peter Lambert, Ronel Blanco and Tatsuya Imai.
The move still requires a corresponding roster decision, since Houston must option a pitcher even with a vacancy available on the 40-man roster. And while Wesneskis return adds depth, it also comes against a backdrop of uncertainty around the back end of the rotation, where Imais spot has been under scrutiny and the Astros are expected to keep looking for help on the trade market. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Suddenly Face A Rotation Decision They Can't Ignore
Tatsuya Imais rookie season has reached the point where the Astros can no longer treat his struggles as a short-term blip. Through 15 starts, the right-hander has battled through outings that have ended before he could even record three outs, and Joe Espada acknowledged the club is still sorting through the mechanical issues that have followed him from start to start. The manager said Houston will keep evaluating Imais role, which is a clear sign the team is at least open to changing course if the command and delivery issues do not clean up soon.
What makes the situation more pressing is that the Astros do not appear ready to lock in his next turn just yet, leaving the rotation picture unsettled at a time when every start matters. Espada said the club has discussed Imais challenges and is weighing alternatives, including the possibility of other arms taking on a bigger role, while the broader question of how to handle a pitcher with this much inconsistency hangs over the staff. For Houston, this is no longer just about one rough stretch - it is about deciding how long they can afford to wait. [Read more 🡒]