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MLB playoffs 2016: 3 reasons the Astros make it

By Joshua Sadlock

Jun 27, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) celebrates with his team after the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The Houston Astros won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 27, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) celebrates with his team after the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The Houston Astros won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 20, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) left fielder Tony Kemp (16) and right fielder George Springer (4) celebrate after the end of the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum. The Houston Astros defeated the Oakland Athletics 2 to 1. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 20, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) left fielder Tony Kemp (16) and right fielder George Springer (4) celebrate after the end of the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum. The Houston Astros defeated the Oakland Athletics 2 to 1. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports /

Thanks to a little scheduling perk called playing in the AL West, the Houston Astros are in prime position to claim a spot in the wild-card playoff game.

In most other sports leagues, having a .210 winning percentage against your biggest rival would preclude you from playoff contention. Not so in Major League Baseball! The Houston Astros won only four of their 19 games against the Texas Rangers this season, but have a legitimate shot at making it back to the playoffs for a second year in a row.

Over their past 30 games, the Astros have played some of the best baseball in the league, and are hanging tough behind the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers. Can they sustain their run of success and leapfrog the two teams in their way? Here are three reasons the Astros will be playing in the postseason yet again.

The Angels are pretty bad at baseball

While the rest of the AL East contenders are forced to beat up on each other over the season’s final week, the Astros have the privilege of playing six of their last nine games against the Los Angeles Angels who are 67-86 on the year. So far this year, the Astros have beaten the Angels 11 times out of 13 while outscoring them by 32 runs.

It’s times like these that make some fanbases overjoyed about MLB’s unbalanced scheduling, with other fans wanting to pull their hair out. Overall, the Astros have gone 24-8 against the Angels and Oakland Athletics, and are a sub-.500 team against the rest of the league. It does all come out in the wash at the end of the day, however, as the Astros had a brutal 13-game stretch at the start of September in which they played the Rangers, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago Cubs, going 5-8 in the process.

Of the teams currently fighting for the last wild-card spot, the Astros seem best positioned to capitalize on the weakness of their opponents. The most important series left on the docket is the matchup with the Seattle Mariners (who also have a bit of scheduling luck by drawing the Twins and Athletics in addition to the Astros). It’s a three-game series, and the winner of that series could very well find themselves in the playoffs if they can take care of business against the bottom feeders in their division.

All that being said, the Angels are not exactly a pushover, and it goes without saying that Mike Trout can take over a series at a moment’s notice. The Angels do have one of the worst pitching staffs in the league, however, which should allow the Astros to take advantage.

The Astros are currently given a 22 percent chance to make the playoffs by FiveThirtyEight, and that is largely due to their advantageous schedule.

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