Houston Astros Control AL West Destiny Entering Final Stretch

The Houston Astros have nine games left to clinch the American League West, claim a Wild Card berth or, heaven forbid, fall out of the race entirely.

That’s how close things are going into the weekend. The Astros (85-68) have the best odds to win the AL West, but they have two of the closest pursuers in baseball in the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners.

In fact, it’s a division race without precedent in the history of the divisional era of baseball, dating back to 1969. It’s the first time that three teams in the same division are within a half-game or fewer of first place with all having 10 or fewer games to play, per both Elias Sports and MLB.com’s Sarah Langs.

The Astros host Kansas City this weekend, followed by a three-game set at Seattle and then a three-game set at Arizona, and the Diamondbacks are playing for a Wild Card berth.

The Rangers and the Mariners also face each other seven times in the final 10 games.

So there will be a lot of scoreboard watching the next 10 days.

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. 22

Thursday’s AL West results

Houston, idle

Texas, idle

Seattle, idle

Standings

Houston (85-68): — (Magic Number to clinch AL West: 10)

Texas (84-68): — 0.5 GB

Seattle (84-68): — 0.5 GB

What’s Left?

Houston (9): Friday-Sunday: vs. Kansas City (3); Sept. 25-27: at Seattle (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Arizona (3)

Seattle (10): Friday-Sunday: at Texas (3); Sept. 25-27: vs. Houston (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: vs. Texas (4)

Texas (10): Friday-Sunday: vs. Seattle (3); Sept. 25-27: at Los Angeles Angels (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: at Seattle (4)

AL Wild Card Race as of Sept. 21

(Top three teams clinch Wild Card berths)

Thursday’s AL Wild Card results

Texas, idle

Seattle, idle

Tampa Bay 5, Los Angeles Angels 4

New York Yankees 5, Toronto 3

Standings

Tampa Bay (94-60): +9.0 Games*

Toronto (85-68): — +0.5 (Magic Number to clinch: 10)

Texas (84-68): — (Magic Number to clinch: 11)

Seattle (84-68): — (Magic Number to clinch: 11)

*-Clinched playoff berth; seeding still TBA

What’s Left?

Tampa Bay (8): Friday-Sunday: vs. Toronto (3); Sept. 26-27: vs. Boston (2); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Toronto (3)

Seattle (10): Friday-Sunday: at Texas (3); Sept. 25-27: vs. Houston (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: vs. Texas (4)

Texas (10): Friday-Sunday: vs. Seattle (3); Sept. 25-27: at Los Angeles Angels (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: at Seattle (4)

Toronto (9): Friday-Sunday: at Tampa Bay (3); Sept. 26-28: vs. New York Yankees (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Tampa Bay (3)