Houston’s first October off since 2016 comes with dust, deadlines, and big decisions inside Daikin Park.
The end came faster than the Houston Astros expected and far messier than the franchise is used to. An 87–75 record would be a quiet success for most clubs; for the Astros, it doubled as a warning light.
A sluggish second half, an offense that lurched instead of roared, and a head-to-head tiebreaker lost to the Detroit Tigers combined to shut the postseason door for the first time since 2016.