Same Year, Same Story

By : Mike Rifkin

On Saturday, the Houston Astros defeated the Seattle Mariners in game three of the ALDS resulting in a sweep. With the win the Astros have advanced to their MLB record sixth consecutive ALCS. 

For Baseball fans the Astros have been public enemy number one since their cheating scandal in 2017. The Astros have been the model of consistency despite what has occurred since 2017 as well as their roster changes. Guys like Carlos Correa and George Springer have left but this team doesn’t miss a beat. The Astros decided to not re-sign Carlos Correa, their All Star Shortstop, but instead opted to go with rookie Jeremy Pena to replace him. Pena in his rookie season had 22 home runs, 63 RBI and a slash line of .253/.289/.426. But in Game Three of the ALDS Pena hit the go ahead home run in the eighteenth inning to give the Astros the win. They were able to let Springer go because of the emergence of Kyle Tucker. Tucker, who this year played in a career high 150 games this year tied his career high with 30 home runs which he hit last year and set a career with 107 RBI. Tucker had a slash line of .257/.330/.478. There also has been the emergence of Yordan Alvarez. Alvarez hit .267 in the LDS against the Mariners with two home runs including a walk off three run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning in game one. Alvarez on the season had 37 home runs and 97 RBI with a slash line of .306/.406/.613. Had Alvarez not went on the injured list with a Hand injury, he would have been the biggest threat to Aaron Judge in the AL MVP race. 

People don’t have to like the Astros, but you have to respect what they have accomplished. They are the model of consistency in Major League Baseball and could be very much on their way to winning another World Series.