Houston Astros Cut Playoff Magic Number With Win Over Seattle

The Houston Astros helped their chances of clinching an American League Wild Card berth with a 5-1 win over the Seattle Mariners on Monday.

In doing so, the Astros opened up some space between them and the Mariners, as Houston (86-71) now has a 1.5-game lead on the Mariners for what would be the final Wild Card berth. Ahead of them are the Tampa Bay Rays — who have already clinched no worse that the top Wild Card berth — and the Toronto Blue Jays, who are 1.5 games ahead of the Astros.

As for the AL West race, the Astros didn’t hurt themselves, but they got no help from the front-running Texas Rangers, who beat the Los Angeles Angels. The Rangers maintained their 2.5-game edge, but the Astros aren’t mathematically out of it yet.

Below is an update on the race, with the current standings, magic numbers to clinch the AL West and a Wild Card berth, along with the remaining schedules for the teams that are still in the race.

The AL West Race as of Sept. 26

Monday’s AL West results

Texas 5, Los Angeles Angels 1

Houston 5, Seattle 1

Standings

Texas (88-68): — (Magic number to clinch AL West: 4; Magic number to clinch playoff spot: 2)

Houston (86-71): — 2.5 GB

Seattle (84-72): — 4.0 GB

What’s Left?

Houston (5): Tuesday-Wednesday: at Seattle (2); Friday-Sunday: at Arizona (3)

Seattle (6): Tuesday-Wednesday: vs. Houston (2); Thursday-Saturday: vs. Texas (4)

Texas (6): Tuesday-Wednesday: at Los Angeles Angels (2); Thursday-Saturday: at Seattle (4)

AL Wild Card Race as of Sept. 26

(Top three teams clinch Wild Card berths)

Monday’s AL Wild Card results

Texas 5, Los Angeles Angels 1

Houston 5, Seattle 1

Toronto, idle

Tampa Bay, idle

Standings

Tampa Bay (95-62): +9.0 Games* (has clinched No. 1 Wild Card berth)

Toronto (87-69): — +1.5 (Magic Number to clinch playoff berth: 3; Magic Number to clinch No. 2 Wild Card berth: 5)

Houston (86-71): — (Magic Number to clinch playoff berth: 4; Magic Number to clinch last Wild Card berth: 6)

Seattle (84-72): — 1.5 GB

*-Clinched playoff berth

What’s Left?

Tampa Bay (5): Tuesday-Wednesday: vs. Boston (2); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Toronto (3)

Houston (6): Monday-Wednesday: at Seattle (3); Friday-Sunday: at Arizona (3)

Seattle (7): Monday-Wednesday: vs. Houston (3); Thursday-Saturday: vs. Texas (4)

Texas (7): Monday-Wednesday: at Los Angeles Angels (3); Thursday-Saturday: at Seattle (4)

Toronto (6): Tuesday-Thursday: vs. New York Yankees (3); Friday-Sunday: vs. Tampa Bay (3)