Inside the Astros

Houston Astros Prove Why They're Still Superior to Texas Rangers

The Houston Astros are still the team to beat in Texas.

Tyler Maher

Aug 7, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros players celebrate after a win.
Aug 7, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros players celebrate after a win. / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
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Regardless of what happened in the ALCS last October, the Houston Astros are still the best baseball team in Texas.

The Astros have proved that again this season. Not only are they in first place in the AL West, but they also beat the Texas Rangers in their season series.

After taking two of three from the Rangers this week, Houston finished its season series against Texas with a 7-6 record and a plus-3 run differential. The two teams do not have any more regular-season games scheduled this year, although they still could meet up in October if both teams make the playoffs.

This marks the eighth straight year that the Astros won their season series with the Rangers, confirming their dominance in the AL West. Texas hasn't won the season series since 2016 -- the last time it finished ahead of Houston in the standings.

Since then, Houston has been the most successful team in baseball, winning six division titles, four pennants and two World Series. The Rangers did take down the Astros in last year's ALCS, however, edging them in seven games en route to winning their first championship.

Houston has restored order this season, overcoming a terrible start to reclaim its place atop the standings. Meanwhile, Texas has suffered a World Series hangover and appears unlikely to make the postseason after dropping seven games below .500.

Accordingly, last year did not represent a changing of the guard in the Lone Star State. The Rangers did not overtake the Astros, and reports of Houston's demise were premature.

The Astros should only get better once injured stars like Justin Verlander and Kyle Tucker return, making this season's shocking turnaround even more impressive. Houston just keeps finding ways to win games with its winning culture, whereas Texas has regressed and is back to playing second fiddle.

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Tyler Maher
TYLER MAHER

Tyler grew up in Massachusetts and is a huge Boston sports fan, especially the Red Sox. He went to Tufts University and played club baseball for the Jumbos. Since graduating, he has worked for MLB.com, The Game Day, FanDuel and Forbes. When he's not writing about baseball, he enjoys running, traveling, and playing fetch with his golden retriever.

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