Astros: 3 Things Fans Should Know Heading Into the Final Stretch

The Astros are in the final month of their second-straight playoff contending year.

This Astros season has been a rollercoaster ride, overcoming a rough start in April and occasionally looking like either the best team in the league or the worst. But here they are in September, only 2 games out of the second wild card.

Can the team make the playoffs after starting a dreadful 7-17? One of the key attributes to have as a sports fan is positivity, so here are 3 things that Astros fans should know heading into the last stretch of the season.

#1 – It may seem bleak for a few weeks, but it will get better.

The first four series to start out the month of September are against first place teams. They will be tough games, as seen in this first series with the Rangers. But if we are able to get out in decent shape in a couple weeks, the Astros have a real chance of making the postseason. The reason why?

The last five series of the year are against the three teams below us in the divisional standings. All three of these teams, Seattle, Oakland, and Los Angeles, have below .500 records against the rest of the division. The Astros will need to take care of business in those games, and I like their chances of doing so.

#2 – The Astros were in a similar situation last year.

Last season’s surprise success found this team in an almost identical situation as now: fighting for that second wildcard spot. The young group of guys were able to pull it off last season, so there is no reason why they cannot do it again.

While last season may be categorized as more successful than this one, the same core group of players is here and ready to battle for their playoff hopes. I am sure that this team wants some redemption after the disappointing end to the year against Kansas City.

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#3 – If for some reason the playoffs don’t happen this year, the future is still bright.

The possibility of missing the playoffs is always there, even for the most positive of Astros fans. But it is not the end of the world should it happen. This team is super young and will only grow in experience and talent.

Our superstar and MVP candidate Jose Altuve is still only 26 years old. Many rookies have stepped up and contributed this year and they will learn from their major league time and be even better next season. Carlos Correa is about to have a 100 RBI season and is only 21. If the postseason doesn’t happen this year, it surely will for many years to come.

Overall, the Astros are an extremely talented group of players that definitely have the talent to be an outstanding team. I do not see a reason why the playoffs aren’t possible this year, and neither should they.

***Stats from Baseball-Reference***