The 10 best MLB teams of the now-concluding 2010s
By Bill Felber
The 10 best MLB teams of the now-concluding 2010s
7. 2018 Houston Astros, 11 points
But for the rise of the Boston Red Sox, the Houston Astros might have made it three straight American League pennants between 2017 and 2019.
The 2018 Astros were, on paper at least, the equal of both the 2017 and 2019 teams. Four-deep in dominant starters, they had the majors’ best pitching, compiling a 134 ERA+. Justin Verlander (16-9), Gerrit Cole (15-5), Dallas Keuchel (12-11) and Charlie Morton 915-3) all were double-digit winners, and among them, they took care of all but 32 of Houston’s starts.
Compared with their principal competition the Red Sox, Houston’s only weakness was its offense which, while good, wasn’t in a league with Boston’s. Behind its core 3 of Altuve, Bregman, and Springer, the Astros tied for fourth in OPS+ at 106 behind the Red Sox, Yankees, and Athletics.
Still, Houston was good enough to build a six-game margin over Oakland in the AL West, and to take out AL Central champion Cleveland in three games in the division round.
That set up an ALCS showdown with the Red Sox. The series was an exercise in frustration for the Astros, who were thoroughly dominated by their soon-to-be successors as world champions. Boston pitching held the Astros to a team .219 batting average, while Houston pitchers compiled a 5.52 team ERA.
After a 7-2 Astros victory in the series opener, the Red Sox rolled the defending champs four straight, Price defeating Verlander 4-1 in the finale.