How will the Houston Astros fare against the AL West in the second half?

The Houston Astros sit atop the divisional standings thanks in part to success against American League West opponents. With a schedule loaded with AL West matchups, can they prevail again in most games?

The Houston Astros had an advantage throughout most of June and July few fans likely noted. And they improved their standing in the American League because of it.

Houston played just two teams with a winning record since June 7. Although, it’s worth noting the Tampa Bay Rays pushed above .500 when it claimed a victory against the Astros.

Nevertheless, Houston essentially has two months left of baseball, and it has a five-game cushion over second-place Seattle. But that doesn’t mean the Mariners cannot get closer to the top of the standings. Even the Athletics could sustain their current winning stretch.

Thus, the Astros will need to maintain their winning ways to stay atop the AL West. It would be their second-straight division title should they remain in first.

However, the second half of the team’s schedule is not as facile. And most of August pits Houston against its division rivals. Just seven of 26 games are against teams outside of the AL West.

That might be a good thing for the Astros, who went 28-13 against teams in their division. Meanwhile, the rest of the division was not as dominant against its familiar foes.

Astros: 28-13 vs. AL West, 5-3 vs. Interleague

Mariners: 20-16 vs. AL West, 2-6 vs. Interleague

Athletics: 15-26 vs. AL West, 9-3 vs. Interleague

Angels: 19-15 vs. AL West, 5-5 vs. Interleague

Rangers: 14-26 vs. AL West, 4-4 vs. Interleague

Each team in the division offers a different obstacle.Seattle will have Robinson Cano back soon, while Oakland may make another blockbuster deal – what Billy Beane is known for.

Nonetheless, Houston will attempt to vanquish each opponent as it did during the first half. But it won’t be easy.

Texas Rangers

The Astros already whomped on the Rangers for much of the season. Unfortunately, Houston only plays Texas three more times this year, so more relatively easy victories are somewhat out the window.

It wasn’t long ago that the Rangers were the division favorite for multiple seasons. But during the past two campaigns, the Astros turned into the most dominant club in the West.

Their triumphs over the state rivals exemplify how difficult it is to matchup with Houston.

The Astros finished 12-4 against the Rangers before the All-Star break, winning eight straight in that span. Nevertheless, they were close affairs, with eight being decided by two or fewer runs.

It’s not a surprise that Houston’s prestige pitching staff held Texas to limited runs.

Justin Verlander allowed just five runs across more than 26 innings, while Charlie Morton struck out more than 14 players per nine innings in just two starts. Dallas Keuchel owns the highest ERA against the Rangers at 3.70 amongst starters.

That’s not bad.

Meanwhile, it is somewhat staggering to see Texas pitchers hold Houston hitters to a .244 average across 16 games. However, Astros hitters opted for power rather than contact, roping 23 home runs in those games.

Of course, Jose Altuve led the squad in the average department, while Carlos Correa and George Springer crushed Texas pitchers. From top to bottom, Houston’s lineup was far superior. And the bullpen was more efficient in close games, able to shut down the Rangers late in the game.

Hence, if Texas steals two of the three games in the final series, fans themselves might be astonished.

Prediction: 2-1

Oakland Athletics

Call to the Pen addressed the ugliest variable involved in matchups between the two teams: Houston’s bullpen. Other than that, the Astros claimed nine wins in just 13 bouts.

But some nights were ugly on the mound for the defending champs.

Oakland clobbered essentially one home run per game against the most dominant staff in the league. The two-man wrecking crew of Stephen Piscotty and Chad Pinder – of all people – punished Astros pitchers for a combined six bombs and an OPS near 1.000.

Yet, don’t let the minor success in power overshadow the team’s overall disappointment. Houston limited Oakland – ranked 10th in runs – to a .218 average with about one strikeout in every four hitters. Again, Verlander posted the best outings among his compatriots on the bump.

More than half of the Astros’ roster rocked the A’s pitching in nearly every game. Houston averaged more than six runs per matchup.

Five different players smacked homers for the Astros, including Springer and Alex Bregman. Additionally, Houston’s hitters clocked in runs with runners on base, as four different batters compiled at least 10 RBIs.

Oakland’s pitching staff sits in the middle of the pack in rankings, so it’s not shocking to see the Astros’ numbers against it. But the offense flailed at the dish in the teams’ previous series.

If Houston hopes to take advantage of its last few games against Oakland, it will need to hit better. And the bullpen will need to limit its opponent to a minute amount of runs late in games – if any.

Prediction: 4-2

Los Angeles Angels

Back in April, the initial matchup between the Astros and Angels was arguably the most anticipated one. Shohei Ohtani against the intimidating Houston lineup attracted much attention.

And it didn’t necessarily disappoint. However, after Ohtani’s injury, Los Angeles dragged through the remainder of the first half. But the affairs between the two were still enticing.

The squads squared off in just six games, but all of them were decided by three or fewer runs. Much of them were due to premier pitching duels.

Both Garrett Richards and Tyler Skaggs held the Astros to bagels. Meanwhile, Andrew Heaney and Jaime Barria limited them to just one run. Altogether, the rotation owned a 1.57 ERA against Houston.

Only Jose Altuve – a hitting machine – posted an average above .300, but he does that against essentially every team. Surprisingly, Jake Marisnick and Derek Fisher were major hitters against the Angels.

Fans likely won’t see either of those two guys once they face off with Los Angeles on Friday.

Nevertheless, they will see 13 more games between the two clubs during the second half. And thanks to Houston’s bullpen, the Astros could win a majority of them.

Houston relievers not named Joe Smith didn’t allow any runs against the Angels. Moreover, the pitching staff as a whole flummoxed Los Angeles’s two most dangerous hitters in Mike Trout and Ohtani. They combined for three hits in 26 at-bats.

Despite the rotation’s struggles against the Angels, the Astros look poised to claim more victories than losses against Los Angeles. The Angels may swap guys like Skaggs and Heaney before the trade deadline.

Also, no one knows when Ohtani will be healthy enough to pitch again and Richards is out for the year. Houston clearly has the advantage in each of the remaining series.

Prediction: 9-4