Through the end of May, the Astros were hovering within a few games of .500 in either direction. While the relatively slow start this year doesn’t compare to the dreadful beginning in 2024, this was a middling team up to roughly a month ago, buoyed by a strong run prevention approach but hampered by a lackluster lineup. Thankfully, the rest of the AL West wasn’t much better, and the schedule began to ease for Houston by late May.
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Since May 22, the start of their four-game set against the Mariners in Houston, the Astros have posted an 18-7 record to propel themselves atop the division.