Heading into mid-August, the Houston Astros have maintained a slim lead over the Oakland Athletics in the American League West. At various points over the 2021 season, Houston has looked unstoppable. However, over the past two weeks, they have looked vulnerable. Over this same span, the A’s have been charging hard thanks to the addition of outfielder Starling Marte. If the Astros are going to fend off Oakland, they are going to need to do a couple of things. Here’s how Houston can maintain their division lead in the AL West.
Take Advantage of the Schedule
In terms of opponents winning percentage, the Astros have the third easiest schedule in all of baseball, at .480. Still, at the end of the day, you have to go out and beat these teams, but the fact remains that they do have one of the lighter remaining schedules. The only team Houston faces through the rest of August with a record currently above .500 is the Seattle Mariners. On the Oakland side, their remaining August schedule is tougher. The A’s still have to play the Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, Mariners, and New York Yankees this month.
The Astros must build upon their division lead over the A’s because six of their final nine games are against Oakland. Those final two series could be extremely important if Houston fails to build a substantial lead in the AL West.
Get Healthy and Stay Healthy
Houston has a good lineup even with Alex Bregman and Yuli Gurriel on the Injured List, but they will be even better when the pair returns. Gurriel is expected to be activated from the IL on Friday. The hope is that Bregman isn’t far behind. The Astros don’t have a ton of bench depth, so health will continue to be paramount as the season progresses.
The Astros pitching depth is a strength and they are getting more in the coming weeks. Pedro Baez made his 2021 debut on Tuesday, pitching a scoreless ninth inning. After being shut down from throwing for a time, Jose Urquidy is beginning a rehab assignment. Barring any setbacks, Urquidy should return for the stretch run.
Correa Must Break Out Once Again
The second half of the season has not been kind to Carlos Correa thus far. After slashing .288/.385/.510 in the first half, Correa has slumped to the tune of a .207/.283/.354 slash line in the second half. The strong Astros lineup has partially covered up Correa’s slump but they need the All-Star to break out of his funk. Houston has not scored more than five runs in a game since July 31, partially due to Correa’s inconsistencies.
Houston controls its own destiny. If they beat the teams they are supposed to, everything will work in their favor. Oakland is a team that does not quit and will continue to make a push for the division lead. However, Houston has a clear path that, if followed, will lead them to another AL West division crown.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
Players Mentioned:
Starling Marte, Alex Bregman, Yuli Gurriel, Pedro Baez, Jose Urquidy, Carlos Correa
