Texas Rangers Tired Of Being 'Little Brother' in Houston Astros Rivalry

Will Smith and the Texas Rangers are tired of playing second fiddle to the Houston Astros entering Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.

HOUSTON – Will Smith is tired of hearing being the "little brother" to the Houston Astros in the Lone Star State.

He's had enough of hearing of how the Texas Rangers are an afterthought in the American League West.

It's been six years since the Rangers made the postseason, let alone any noise in October baseball. And even after starting this playoff run 5-0, there's still doubt on what's in store past 2023. 

There won't be with four more wins in the American League Championship Series. Four more victories and Texas is back in the Fall Classic for the first time since 2011. 

"They've owned this division for a while now," Smith said of the Astros before Sunday night's first pitch at Minute Maid Park. "So, yeah, we obviously want to come in and not be the little brother anymore."

The Rangers celebrate win over Tampa Bay Rays in the Wild Card Series / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Smith and the Rangers do have a healthy respect for the Astros and their accomplishments.

“They've been in pressure-packed situations before,” Smith said. “They’ve had their back against the wall before. They’ve had big leads before. They’ve kind of done it all. So nothing really scares them, I guess, nothing freaks them out.”

The Silver Boot Series has always been met with emotion, even during the 100-plus loss seasons of the Astros in the early 2010s. Texas fans salivated at the chance to bring home the title each season, even before the series was an interleague matchup up to 2013. 

Since the series began in 2001, Texas leads all-time, 134-132. But since moving to the American League, the Astros have rebounded to claim the 30-inch boot that glistens off the sunlight, winning the last seven season series since 2017. 

Winning the Silver Boot isn't a coincidence, either. Houston's been to seven consecutive ALCS during that span, winning four AL pennants and two World Series in the process. 

Texas, which led the AL West until the final day of the regular season, is again looking up at Houston, having lost the series 9-4 in 2023. But the version of the Rangers that looked unstoppable entering the summer seems to have reemerged since the start of October, outscoring the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles 32-12 in back-to-back sweeps. 

Justin Verlander faces Jordan Montgomery in Game 1 at Minute Maid Park for an extended Silver Boot Series, but the stakes are different this time around. And a win for Texas might not stop fans from viewing the Rangers as the pesky little brother of the state, but it's a start. 

Then again, would Texas care knowing it's four games away from winning its first World Series? 

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