4 ways the Astros could blow it and lose to the Rangers in the ALCS

The Houston Astros' run through the 2023 playoffs has been very impressive. While the other division winners struggled yet again, the Astros have thrived as they mowed through the Minnesota Twins in route to their seventh straight ALCS appearance. The pitching has been mostly great, the lineup has given them the run support they needed, and the team has capitalized on nearly every opposing mistake. Good vibes all around.

However, make no mistake: the Rangers are going to be a very tough test even with the Astros dominating Texas in the regular season. They, too, are firing on all cylinders right now and could very easily steal this thing if Houston falters at all, which begs the question what battles can the Astros not afford to lose to win the ALCS?

Here are 4 ways the Astros could blow it and lose to the Rangers in the ALCS

Once we get this deep in the playoffs, it is assured that the team you are up against is both playing well at the moment and very dangerous overall. More often than not, the differences between teams can be measured in inches and that means every mistake and every poor performance is magnified and has added importance. While Houston has some clear advantages on paper, that doesn't mean things will play out this way and in a few cases, the Astros could very well be doomed if they don't.

Let's take a look at some ways the Astros could blow it against the Rangers in the ALCS.