The Houston Astros remain in second place in the American League West by six games behind the first-place Oakland Athletics and are now four games in front of the third-place Seattle Mariners, but that could change as the two play three times this week in Seattle. Houston has won two straight and three of the last four as it tries to secure a playoff berth.
Seattle has struggled of late losing five of its last six including a 7-4 loss at home on Sunday to the San Diego Padres and are now 10 games behind the first-place Oakland Athletics and just a half-game ahead of the 4th place Los Angeles Angels. Seattle closes out its regular season with a three-game homestand against Houston and four games on the road against the Oakland A's.
Improved play on the mound helps Astros
The Houston Astros have won each of the last two games by the score of 3-2 as the pitching staff continues to improve. Over the last 6 games played, the Astros have allowed just 10 runs and have won four of those six games, while one of the losses was 1-0 Texas. Houston's team ERA has improved to 4.34 which is 13th in baseball and it's pitchers are allowing opposing hitters to average .238 at the plate which has improved 12th. Framber Valdez will start on the mound for Houston on Tuesday and the left-hander is leading the Astros in wins with four, strikeouts with 68 and ERA for starters at 3.82.
At the plate, George Springer is the home run leader with 13 and Kyle Tucker is the leader in RBIs with 41 while shortstop Carlos Correa is leading regulars in batting average .261. The Astros have scored 249 runs which is 14th in baseball and have a team batting average of .238, which is just 20th. Houston's .405 slugging percentage is just 17th.
Mariners postseason hopes are slipping away
Seattle trails Houston by four games for second place in the American League West and is also 4 ½ games behind in the race for the second wild-card berth in the American League. At the plate, the Mariners have come up short as Seattle has a team batting average of .226 which is 25th in baseball and it's .375 slugging percentage is even worse at 27th. The Mariners have scored just 224 runs which is 24th in baseball. Kyle Lewis is leading Seattle in home runs with 11 and Kyle Seager is leading in RBIs with 33.
Seattle has the 27th worst team ERA at 5.28 and it's 1.37 WHIP is the 18th best. Opposing hitters are averaging .243 at the plate against Seattle pitching which is 18th in baseball. Seattle starting pitcher on Tuesday will be Ljay Newsome, who is 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA and eight strikeouts. Seattle has lost each of Newsome's last 5 starts and the right-hander has not pitched more than four innings in any of those five starts.
Notable Trends
- Seattle has lost four of the last five as the underdog
- The Mariners have lost five of the last six overall
- Houston as won 53 of the last 73 against a team with a losing record
- The Astros have won 52 of the last 75 on the road against a team with a losing record
