HOT SEATS
How Houston Astros fans cans score highly coveted playoff tickets
Sep 21, 2022, 1:16 pm
The playoffs are right around the corner! Composite image by Brandon Strange.
Breaking down 4 Houston Astros that are heating up in May
As orange-and-blue-blooded Houston Astros fans know, the team clinched its fifth American League West Division title in the past six seasons on Monday, September 19 with a 4-0 win against the Tampa Bay Rays.
So, as the Astros look to the postseason, fans are in turn looking for playoff tickets. Those individual tickets for Astros ALDS home games go on sale on Wednesday, September 28. Diehards can visit the team’s official postseason site to score a chance to grab playoff tickets early.
Of course, the easiest way to guarantee postseason access, the Astros note, is by buying 2023 season tickets. These are on sale now; call 1-877-9ASTROS or visit the aforementioned postseason site for more information and availability.
Postseason power means postseason swag, and so fans can now deck out in AL West Division Champion and postseason now available at the Astros Union Station Team Store (501 Crawford St.) at Minute Maid Park.
The team store is open until midnight Tuesday, September 20, and will then move to extended hours: 9 am-7 pm Monday through Friday, and 9 am-2 pm on Saturdays (on non-game days).
This postseason offers plenty of buzz for fans. Pitching has rarely looked better, with hometown hero Lance McCullers, Jr. back and Justin Verlander — a Cy Young Award favorite — just returning from an injury. Slugger Alex Bregman has been bringing the fire (much like his salsa), as are stalwarts like José Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, and Kyle Tucker.
In short, serious fans should scoop up those tickets now, as World Series run whispers whirl.
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The Houston Astros open a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park. Houston, sitting atop the AL West with a 77-66 record, looks to bolster its postseason positioning, while Oakland (62-82) aims to play spoiler as the season winds down.
Pitching Probables
The Astros will send Spencer Arrighetti (7-12, 4.82 ERA) to the mound. Arrighetti has shown flashes of brilliance this season with 151 strikeouts but has struggled with consistency, sporting a 1.43 WHIP. He’ll face Osvaldo Bido (5-3, 3.41 ERA) for the Athletics, who has been a reliable arm in the Oakland rotation, posting a 1.09 WHIP and 63 strikeouts.
Astros overview
Houston, with a solid 41-30 home record, will rely on their bats and deep lineup to back Arrighetti. Yordan Alvarez continues to power the offense, tallying 31 doubles and 32 home runs on the season. Mauricio Dubon has also been hot, hitting .464 over his last 10 games. The Astros boast the eighth-best on-base percentage in the majors (.321), which will be key against Oakland’s pitching.
Athletics overview
Oakland has struggled on the road this year, going 26-43 away from the Coliseum. Brent Rooker, the A’s top power hitter with 35 home runs, will need to stay hot to give his team a chance. Shea Langeliers has also been productive lately, with three home runs in his last 10 games. The A’s have allowed 58 losses in games where they've given up a home run, a troubling stat heading into a series against Houston’s potent lineup.
Recent form
The Astros are 6-4 over their last 10 games with a 3.31 team ERA, outscoring their opponents by 10 runs. Oakland has gone 4-6 in their last 10, allowing a 4.73 ERA while being outscored by 17 runs during that stretch. Houston leads the season series 7-3, and they'll look to continue their dominance over their division rival as they aim for a strong postseason push.
Betting line
Houston is favored at -187 with the over/under set at 8 1/2 runs, reflecting expectations of a potentially high-scoring game.