The third biggest MLB Postseason loser are the 2018 Houston Astros.
The Astros were defending World Series winners, having taken down the Dodgers in 2017. With 103 regular-season victories, they were an obvious threat to repeat, although Boston’s 108-win season made the Red Sox legitimate contenders as well.
The battle to represent the American League in the 2018 World Series shaped up as between those two superior teams, and that’s the way it played out. Houston swept Cleveland out of the division series while the Red Sox finished off the Yankees in four games (see above).
In the ALCS, Houston rode ace Justin Verlander to a 7-2 first game victory. Verlander allowed just two Boston hits through his six innings, leaving with a 3-2 lead. RBI hits by George Springer and Carlos Correa were also pivotal.
But that was all the series traction the Astros would get.
Over the next four games, Boston trailed only for one-half inning, out-scoring the Astros 27-14. During the 2018 regular season, Houston’s pitching staff – led by Verlander, Dallas Keuchel, and Gerrit Cole – had a 3.11 team ERA, the majors’ best. But in the ALCS, Boston batters worked that same staff over for a 5.52 ERA.
Boston went on to defeat the Dodgers in the World Series.