The much more optimistic amongst us believed that, once the Astros got healthy and balanced and entered the soft underbelly of their mid-September timetable, they would open up a 4-5 video game lead, skip a couple of turns in the rotation, and stroll to a division title. Recently disabused us of that concept as the Excellent Guys went 2-4 versus both worst teams in the American League. Still, the Astros have a clear advantage. They're 1 Brent Rooker Jersey. 5 games up on Arlington and 2. 5 up on Seattle. Those groups have an added video game, yet it's against one another, which makes being "only one video game and two video games back in the loss column" a moot factor, since they're assured to go, jointly 1-1 on the day they play throughout the Astros' off-day. Department Race BreakdownAstros: 12 games remaining: Baltimore, Kansas City Seattle Arizona. 9 of 12 games versus groups with something to play for. With the routine off day on Thursdays this month, the Astros have actually been choosing a five-man turning and offering every starter five days off besides the Friday starter, who goes once again on the Wednesday video game on 4 days of remainder. Today, that's Javier against the Orioles, the starter you least want around. I 'd highly think about an opener and maybe some UrquidyJavier mix. Or heck, bring up Blanco. It's also important of a game to do provide to the NL department races are over, the NL WC race is outrageous, with 6 groups within two games of a WC. Unless Arizona wins 8 of 9 or sheds 8 of 9 prior to holding Houston, they're likely defending their lives on the final weekend break of the line: 7-5 over the last 12 and preventing a sweep against the Mariners probably does it for securing the : 13 video games staying: Boston Seattle, Angles, Seattle. 7 of 13 video games versus teams with something to bet. The Angles will not have Ohtani but Trout might come back. They're an odd group with virtually no uniformity. Sweeping Toronto recently really turned points around for them, yet then they obtained swept by Cleveland, with 2 games being non-competitive. They have the easiest roadway of the groups completing in the ALWest. Seattle: 13 video games continuing to be: Oakland, Arlington, Houston, Arlington Challenging weekend break against the Dodgers. Ruthless could be the better word. After playing. 500 sphere the initial 100 video games, they got remarkably warm and looked poised to run away with things. This month they've won one series, a difficult one versus Anaheim. They're 5-11 this month. They can obtain the ship righted against Oakland, however then it's 10 very tough games. And they're currently outside looking in. The great information is that they regulate their destiny, and they end the last week in the house. Toronto: 12 video games remaining, all agains the Rays and the Yanks. The bad information for them is that the Rays have the department to play for. It would have behaved for the Astros not to fret about what the Jays did, but sadly the recently of play has actually suggested that a wild card is still well within the realm of results. The Jays may obtain a break if the Orioles open up enough of a lead to ensure that the Rays have absolutely nothing to bet over the final weekend break. Fans of shedding teams won't understand, yet this period has actually not been as enjoyable as one might anticipate coming off a Globe Collection. The team has actually been uncertain, with the identity altering from one fifty percent to another. The enjoyment of watching Tucker, Alvarez, Altuve, and Bregman created elite periods, and Chas and Yainer break out and been ruined by odd managerial choices. Also, the unanticipated collapse of a lot of the bottles has actually tempered several of the vitality that the introduction of JP France could or else have actually produced. A 5-1 home stand would possibly go a long means towards making the recently of the period much less frightening. Go Astros.