Houston Astros: Three nightmare opponents during first half

The Houston Astros again boast one of the best records in the MLB. But they struggled against a few teams throughout the first half. Some are understandable, while others are more surprising.

The Houston Astros own one of the best records in the MLB. But that doesn’t mean every opponent they’ve faced has been a pushover.

It just seems like it, especially against some of the American League West teams.

However, multiple teams gave Houston trouble during their games throughout the first half. And some of them are essentially a surprise. One is not a surprise at all.

Nevertheless, the success thus far overshadows the team’s struggles. Although, the Astros endured their longest losing streak prior to Tuesday night’s victory.

Houston bullied lower-tier teams throughout the first 81 games, as they should. The Astros own a 29-9 record against teams currently below .500. Of course, all of those teams weren’t sub-.500 when they faced Houston.

The Astros pieced together a historic year in 2017, reaching the millennium mark for the second time in team history. And they look poised to reach that mark again this year.

A significant reason for their success is their dominance away from Minute Maid Park. Houston owned a subpar 33-48 record on the road in 2015. Since then, it has gradually gotten better on the road.

Last year, the Astros sported a better record in away games than home games. That trend has continued throughout 2018.

Moreover, Houston also owns the best run differential by a large margin. That, once again, is connected to the team’s frequent triumphs against substandard teams.

Nevertheless, it could be much more substantial if it weren’t for a few teams in the league.

New York Yankees

Houston has lost just eight series all season. But two of those losses came against the new Bronx Bombers.

In fact, the Astros have more losses against the Yankees than against any other team at five. And that was only across seven games. In comparison, Houston owns an 11-4 record against Texas and an 8-1 record against Oakland.

Somehow, the Yankees exposed the Astros’ flaws. Arguably, New York’s pitching perplexed Houston hitters across several innings.

During the team’s first series with New York, it scored just seven runs in four games. That series included the only time in which an opponent blanked Houston in back-to-back games. The Astros have been shutout in just five games all season.

It’s not necessarily a surprise that the Yankees’ pitching staff dominated the Astros lineup. New York owns the second-best ERA in baseball, behind Houston – of course. And it has the third-best bullpen in baseball.

Hence, when Jordan Montgomery exited a game against the Astros after one inning, the relief unit dealt against them to shut them out. Luis Severino, a Cy Young candidate, tossed a gem the following night.

The second series was more promising for Houston, as it accumulated nine runs in three games. But again, Severino foiled the club in one of the matchups.

Both teams seemed projected to face off once again in the postseason. Nevertheless, that’s if each team continues to dominate their respective divisions.

However, October would be the soonest fans see the loaded clubs encounter each other once again.

Los Angeles Angels

Unlike New York, Los Angeles doesn’t own a winning record against Houston. However, it provided the Astros with tit-for-tat battles during their two series.

The matchup with Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani was anticipated, and it didn’t disappoint. Moreover, the Angels enjoyed a good start to the season. When the two teams squared off, it seemed like the major race in the AL West.

At this point, much has changed.

Yet, even when Houston battled Los Angeles a second time, the Angels were a tough matchup. All six games between the two squads were decided by three runs or fewer.

Also, each bout was a spectacle featuring stars like Mike Trout and Jose Altuve. Surprisingly, Houston kept the outfielder in check during his historic season.

But now the Astros are in a season-long conflict with the Mariners for the divisional crown. That doesn’t mean Los Angeles will go down easy.

The Angels may be clinging to a .500 record, but they rank fifth in the league in home runs, while their pitchers rank sixth in strikeouts.

Once healthy, they have a lineup and pitching staff that could make some noise. And they will have plenty of opportunities to limit the Astros’ lead in the West.

The two clubs face off 13 more times during the second half of the season. If Houston can score more runs against the Southern California squad, it can easily win the four series against them.