Where Astros Land in Latest Power Rankings After Series Loss to Diamondbacks

The Houston Astros hosted the Arizona Diamondbacks, riding high on a series win over the Chicago White Sox to open the homestand, only to drop the final two games before hitting the road. The Astros continue to be competitive in games, but can't get the job done in the end.

Following the series loss and the series finale, manager Joe Espada told the media that he isn't worried about the competitiveness his team is showing during a crucial stretch.

"We just finished an 8-5, 13-game stretch; that's pretty damn good," Espada said via MLB.com. "I like our fight and we are in a really good spot. I like how our guys have really been grinding through some really good pitching that we saw during the last two weeks."

Where Astros Sit in MLB Power Rankings

Joe Espada on the moun — Houston Astros manager Joe Espada (19) pulls starting pitcher Ethan Pecko (70) from the game. Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ahead of the new series, this time on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Astros sit ranked as one of the better teams in Major League Baseball, despite a slim lead in the AL West standings and a .500 record.

According to ESPN, Houston ranks as the 12th-best team in the MLB entering the new week, improving one spot from their ranking last week. As Espada said, the Astros are playing good baseball, but they need to play great baseball to give themselves some breathing room.

The Astros are the only team in the AL West division that holds a winning record, with the Texas Rangers sitting two games back with a 71-73 record. The last month could get crazy, and with how wide open the American League is, the best chance of Houston making the postseason is by winning the division.

Traveling to Citizens Bank Park to take on the Phillies in hostile territory will prove whether this Astros team can hang with some of the bigger contenders for a World Series championship. The Phillies are in second place in the NL East yet hold an impressive 80-63 record going into the series finale against the Atlanta Braves.

Following the series with the Phillies, Houston will take on the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field - an AL contender that the Astros could knock off their horses.

All in all, the Astros will continue to sit nicely in the power standings so long as their pitching and hitting continue to play competitively. But the power rankings don't matter unless the franchise can comfortably say they're a playoff team, and right now, they can't.

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