EVERY-THING SPORTS
How Astros final stretch of games will perfectly set the tone for postseason
Sep 29, 2021, 11:51 am
These 2 teams present the perfect tune-up for the Astros heading into the playoffs. Composite image by Jack Brame.
Major League Baseball is drawing close to the end of the regular season. Brace yourselves. Playoff baseball is upon us. There are fan bases out there that will have unreal expectations while holding on to hope looking at their teams' Magic Number. Look away because your team won't make it. The teams that will make it, mainly the ones in the Wildcard games in both leagues, won't be around long either.
The Astros aren't one of those teams. They have designs on winning another World Series and shutting up all the haters. Winning in 2017 is "tainted" according to others. Coming within five outs of winning the 2019 World Series is still seen as them "cheating", even though MLB's report says otherwise. Perception is often reality for the willfully ignorant. Winning a World Series this year would undoubtedly be the biggest middle finger salute to all the haters out there.
All season long, this team has either played up or down to the level of its competition. Coming down the stretch, they're playing the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland A's. The Rays are the best team in the American League. The A's are behind the Astros by a handful of games in the AL West, as well as a handful of games behind the Red Sox and Yankees for the two AL Wildcard spots. These two teams present the perfect tune-up for the Astros heading into the playoffs.
Playing the Rays is a preview of a potential ALCS matchup. The Rays have the number one seed in the AL locked up. They'll have home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs. The Astros are pretty entrenched at the number two spot. They'll have home-field advantage over the third seed in the second round most likely. This series gives the Astros a good look at the team they'll have to overcome if they expect to get back to, and win, another World Series. They have a perfect blend of pitching, hitting, youth, and veteran presence. If you want a good sparring partner, they're it.
The A's are like that pesky little fighter who fights the full 12 rounds, doesn't get knocked down, barely wins a couple rounds, but manages to hang on while gracefully losing a unanimous decision. They have enough talent to fight you tooth and nail, but not enough stamina to outlast you. The A's will make the Astros get more consistent and fine tune things right as they hit their stride into the playoffs.
If the way they've played so far this season is any indication, the Astros should win both series and head into the playoffs with some much-needed momentum. While both teams present a challenge, the Astros have enough to meet each challenge. I can see them owning this home stretch and having it catapult them into another ALCS appearance. The petty part of me wants them to beat the Yankees' Gerrit Cole at Minute Maid in the playoffs to end their season, then go on to beat either the Red Sox or A's in the ALCS. It would be satisfying getting the series clinching hit off that snitch in Oakland. However, since that's not in the cards this season, poetic justice would be hoisting another Commissioner's Trophy followed by another parade through downtown Houston. Oh, how I would love for them to force the haters to EAD!
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.
The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.
For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.
“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”
As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.
Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.
He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.
Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.
It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.
I’ve seen some speculation indicating that Joe Mixon may not be happy the Texans signed Nick Chubb. If that is what you believe, watch this clip from an interview with @greenlight pod last year & get back to me. pic.twitter.com/3vaip85esj
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 11, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
___________________________
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!