Astros could reach 60 wins before the All-Star break

With 12 games left before the All-Star break, could the Astros reach 60 wins?

Yesterday’s game felt like one of those games that was going to get out of control quickly. Pardon the pun there, but Astros top prospect Francis Martes had control issues that led to him only pitching two innings. Martes only threw 63 pitches and only allowed two earned runs on four walks and a hit by pitch. Despite the limited outing by Martes, the Astros won 8-2 with seven innings of shutout ball from the bullpen.

With the win yesterday, the Astros now sit at 52 wins on June 26th. By comparison, the 2015 Houston Astros got their 52nd win in game 96 of the season. The best record in franchise history was the 1998 Astros, who were 102-60 that season. That team won that game in their 85th game of the season. This Astros squad did it in game 77 which could point to a 100 win season. Let’s not look that far ahead yet.

The World Series Champion Cubs won their 52nd game in their 82nd game. This Astros squad did it in game #77 which could point to a 100 plus win season. Let’s not look that far ahead yet.

One goal that we could look forward to is what record we will have at the All-Star break. With 52 wins, could the Stros reach 60 games before the break? As Brian McTaggart pointed out last night, the Astros have 12 games remaining before the All-Star break. To reach 60, the Stros would need at least eight wins to reach that mark.

Who are they facing?

They play the Athletics at home for three games, and the Yankees come to town for three games. The Stros then make a short trip to Atlanta to play the Braves for two games and then the Blue Jays for four games. On paper, the Astros look like they have a really good chance to win eight of those games.

The Athletics, Braves, and Blue Jays are all under .500 at the moment, but the Yankees lead by Aaron Judge could be a challenge. The Athletics are probably in a sell mode as the deadline approaches, and the Stros swept four games at home last week. The Braves started rebuilding last year and will continue to this year. However, they are in second place in the NL East with a 36-39 record.

The Blue Jays lineup sans Edwin Encarnacion is not enough to compete, but they still have Josh Donaldson and the aging Troy Tulowitzki and Jose Bautista. Those three could be moved at the deadline, as well as some of the starting pitchers.

Next: Astros trade scenario brought up on MLB Network

Reaching 60 wins by the All-Star break won’t guarantee a World Series title, but it will be fun to write about. The Stros will have a lot to ponder over the next month or so before the trade deadline. For now, we wait for the rotation to get healthy again. Enjoy the off day.

***Stats from Baseball-Reference***