How far will Houston go?

It’s time for Houston’s annual tradition. The postseason is back at Minute Maid Park and the Astros are in the playoffs for the ninth time in the last decade. Here’s a prediction of how October will go for the AL West champions.

Houston will begin its postseason journey at the Detroit Tigers, led by AJ Hinch, who was fired as Astros manager following the fallout from the 2019 sign-stealing scandal. Justin Verlander, who may or may not be on the roster, was also a long-time standout in Detroit and starred when they last appeared in October. Games 1 and 2 will be played on Tuesday and Thursday at 1:32 p.m. CT, with Game 3 possibly following (if necessary) on Thursday. All three games will be broadcast on ABC.

Game 1 is an elite pitching duel between the American League’s best pitcher, Tarik Skubal, who leads the AL in ERA and wins, and Astros ace Framber Valdez, who has a 2.91 ERA in 28 starts. Yordan Álvarez’s injury and his availability status remain important to any prediction. According to MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart, the fearsome Cuban slugger has a 50 percent chance of making the Wild Card roster. Álvarez had another incredible season hitting .308 with 35 home runs and an OPS of .959 and would greatly improve his team’s chances based on his heroics after the 2022 season.

Astros playoffs 2024: Can Houston reach the World Series?

Typically, Game 1 is the key to a short three-game series like this. However, I believe Houston can do it even if they lose the first game. I believe this series will be close, but the Astros will advance in three games thanks to more established pitching depth and more experienced hitting. Houston could let Ronel Blanco and Hunter Brown take the mound in the remaining games.

Now let’s move on to the Cleveland Guardians duel that would follow in the ALDS. My idea is that the Astros play this in four games. Houston would have no home-field advantage, but they can finish the best-of-five at Minute Maid Park after winning a game in Cleveland.

The most likely team Houston will face next is its longtime foe, the New York Yankees. While New York has home-field advantage in this series, the history of this matchup makes it difficult to pick against the Astros. After advancing to an eighth straight ALCS, this series will go the distance – but Houston will remain victorious and celebrate in the Bronx after defeating the Yankees in seven games.

If the Astros reach the World Series, they could potentially face the Dodgers, Phillies or Padres. The Dodgers have certainly had their struggles in the postseason of late, but with Shohei Ohtani having his best season ever, they have become a favorite. A Dodgers vs. Astros World Series rematch in 2017 would really be something to watch. Overall, the Astros have what it takes to reach the Fall Classic again. Can they win it all?