Astros Wild Card roster confirms that this playoff run is Houston’s Last Dance

We are, in real time, witnessing the end of an era.

There has not been a more dominant postseason presence over the last seven-odd years than the Houston Astros. With two World Series victories since 2017 and plenty of October baseball in between, this Astros squad will go down in history. As we watch Houston take on the Detroit Tigers in the AL Wild Card round this week, however, it might feel a bit... strange.

For one, Dusty Baker isn't in the dugout. Joe Espada has done a commendable job filling unfillable shoes, but Houston is the No. 3 seed, not their standard juggernaut selves, and there's something distinctly different about watching Dusty Baker patrol the bench and call a game. It's not the same.

You may also notice a conspicuous absence from the Astros' Wild Card roster. Justin Verlander, who was there for both World Series runs in 2017 and 2022, is not in Houston's postseason rotation. That can change if the Astros advance, but the 41-year-old former ace was off his game down the stretch this season. His 5.48 ERA and 1.38 WHIP just aren't indicative of an arm Houston can trust, especially not with so much talent atop the pitching staff.

So, after two World Series rings and a historic career that has yielded three Cy Young awards, Verlander watched Game 1 from the dugout as Houston lost 3-1 behind a dominant day on the bump from Tigers fireballer Tarik Skubal.

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Astros approaching the end of an era as MLB Postseason gets underway

It's hard to recover from the 0-1 deficit in a three-game series. Houston is more than capable of turning this series on its head without Skubal in the mix, but the Tigers have all sorts of momentum stemming from their late-season success. The Astros, meanwhile, are an older group on the verge of uncomfortable change. The tide certainly favors Detroit.

This 'Last Dance' for Houston is about more than Baker and Verlander, of course. We are probably watching the end of Alex Bregman's Astros career. The talented third baseman is due for a lucrative contract in free agency and the latest rumors point toward Bregman finding a new home. The Astros have shelled out a lot of money already and Kyle Tucker's next contract is coming around the corner expeditiously. Houston should not be cutting costs, but that has never stopped a wealthy ownership group from hamstringing their club in the past.

With Bregman likely on his way out the door after nine years and several deep postseason runs with the Astros, it's hard to fathom what 2025 might look (and feel) like in H-Town. There will be plenty of familiar faces, but it won't be the same core that has fought through thick and thin, love and hate, to reach this very moment.

Bregman went 2-for-4 in Tuesday's loss, supplying plenty of offense to a Houston team that otherwise struggled in that department. There is still plenty of time life for the Astros to climb back into this series and to mount another impressive October campaign — only a fool would count them out — but, with their backs against the wall, the 'Stros sure are vulnerable. That is not a condition we're used to with Houston's baseball team.