Houston Astros' American League West Lead Shrinks After Orioles Loss
The Houston Astros fell to Baltimore for the second straight night on Tuesday — and that may not be the worst part.
Baltimore beat Houston (84-68), 9-5, sealing an Astros series loss going into Wednesday’s finale. But, while that was going on, the Texas Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox, 6-4.
Then, after the Astros lost and the Rangers won, the Seattle Mariners won their game, too.
So, as the three teams enter Wednesday’s action, just 0.5 games separates the three teams. Houston still has the lead, but Texas and Seattle can pass the Astros on Wednesday with a win, paired with an Astros loss.
The Astros still have a good path to the postseason. They host Kansas City this weekend, then head to Seattle for three games ahead of the Rangers, who have to play Seattle in seven of their last 10 games. If the Astros can hang in there a bit longer, the Rangers and Mariners may beat up on each other enough to help Houston out.
Below is an update on the race, with the current standings, magic numbers to clinch the AL West and a Wild Card berth, along with the remaining schedules for the teams that are still in the race.
The AL West Race as of Sept. 20
Tuesday’s AL West results
Texas 6, Boston 4
Baltimore 9, Houston 5
Seattle 7, Oakland 2
Standings
Houston (84-68): — (Magic Number to clinch AL West: 11)
Texas (83-68): — 0.5 GB
Seattle (83-68): — 0.5 GB
What’s Left?
Houston (10): Wednesday: vs. Baltimore (1); Friday-Sunday: vs. Kansas City (3); Sept. 25-27: at Seattle (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Arizona (3)
Seattle (11): Wednesday: at Oakland (1); Friday-Sunday: at Texas (3); Sept. 25-27: vs. Houston (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: vs. Texas (4)
Texas (11): Wednesday: vs. Boston (1); Friday-Sunday: vs. Seattle (3); Sept. 25-27: at Los Angeles Angels (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: at Seattle (4)
AL Wild Card Race as of Sept. 20
(Top three teams clinch Wild Card berths)
Tuesday's AL Wild Card results
Texas 6, Boston 4
Seattle 7, Oakland 2
Tampa Bay 6, Los Angeles Angels 2
Toronto 7, New York Yankees 1
Standings
Tampa Bay (93-59): +9.5 Games (Magic Number to clinch top Wild Card berth: 2)*
Toronto (84-67): — +1.0 (Magic Number to clinch: 11)
Texas (83-68): — (Magic Number to clinch: 12)
Seattle (83-68): — (Magic Number to clinch: 12)
*-Clinched playoff berth; seeding still TBA
What’s Left?
Tampa Bay (10): Wednesday-Thursday: vs. Los Angeles Angels (2); Friday-Sunday: vs. Toronto (3); Sept. 26-27: vs. Boston (2); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Toronto (3)
Seattle (11): Wednesday: at Oakland (1); Friday-Sunday: at Texas (3); Sept. 25-27: vs. Houston (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: vs. Texas (4)
Texas (11): Wednesday: vs. Boston (1); Friday-Sunday: vs. Seattle (3); Sept. 25-27: at Los Angeles Angels (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: at Seattle (4)
Toronto (11): Wednesday-Thursday: at New York Yankees (3); Friday-Sunday: at Tampa Bay (3); Sept. 26-28: vs. New York Yankees (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Tampa Bay (3)
