The Houston Astros postseason failure has to end. The team last made the postseason as a Wild Card team in 2015. They defeated the New York Yankees 3-0 in the AL Wild Card game to advance to the divisional series. Houston was matched against the eventual World Series Champion Kansas City Royals, in a series that saw the Astros lose 3-2. The recent play of the Astros in 2017 has been very phenomenal. Houston just locked up their first AL West Division title this past Sunday. The team has achieved what they thought was impossible by winning the division. The Astros have proven to be one of the top teams in the AL this season, and in all of baseball. They were the best team in the AL until recently when the Cleveland Indians began a 22-game winning streak. But the Astros have a ton of talent surrounding their club, and can get far in October if they play their style of baseball.
Houston Astros Postseason Failure Has to End
With the addition of veteran starting pitcher Justin Verlander, the Astros almost have locked up winning the AL. That is, if they can get through the Indians in what could be the AL Championship series. Houston will also likely face the Boston Red Sox in the divisional round and will need to get past them. But bringing Verlander in brought forth a sense of urgency the team needed in their pitching. Since joining the team, Verlander has pitched his way to a 3-0 record with a 0.86 ERA. Those are pretty stellar numbers that can carry this team a long way once the regular season ends.
One cause for concern with Houston is the play of Carlos Correa. Since returning to the team in late August, Correa is only batting .203/.242/.288 with one home run and four RBI in 59 at bats. He has played in 15 games since coming off the DL after a prolonged injury.
During his absence, the Astros would slump, and then win a few, and then slump again. Now having Correa back hasn’t helped this team win consistently, but his impact should be much greater than what it has been. Correa is one of the top stars on this team. If the Astros are to potentially go far in October, he has to step up and play like the All-Star baseball player that he is.
The Astros’ postseason play definitely hasn’t been a great thing to witness. But given the talent and achievements that this team has, one would have to think that they turn it around. October baseball is right around the corner. Houston has to fix their postseason slump and win games next month to achieve the ultimate goal: The World Series.
This season has been an interesting ride for the Astros. Hopefully it will continue far into October if their players can stay healthy. Injuries have plagued this team all season long. It’s time to right the ship and win the World Series. The city of Houston needs the Astros to bring home a title especially after the devastation that happened due to Hurricane Harvey in early September.
