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57 minutes ago
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It's a borderline miracle the Houston Astros find themselves in their current position.
At 78-80, they are two games below .500 yet fighting to win the AL West and clinch an automatic berth to the ALDS.
That shouldn't be possible, yet here we are.
Houston's mediocrity paints a clear picture of the rest of the AL West, including the 78-80 Texas Rangers.
If the Astros managed to make a few more offensive additions at the trade deadline, they may be in full control of the division with less than a handful of games remaining.
But their offense around MVP candidate Yordan Alvarez has been one of the worst in baseball.
"Yordan Alvarez is challenging for the AL Triple Crown, hitting .314 with 41 home runs and 102 RBI. He is the heavy favorite for AL MVP honors even as the Astros fight for their playoff lives," Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter wrote.
Aside from Alvarez's 191 OPS+, the highest output in the lineup belongs to third baseman Isaac Paredes (126 OPS+).
"One of the biggest reasons they are still on the bubble, hovering around the .500 mark, is the complete lack of offensive consistency around Alvarez. A .687 OPS from the rest of the team tells the story," Reuter added.
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Gone are the days when Jose Altuve can carry an offense for weeks at a time.
Plus, Daulton Varsho's lack of production (.535 OPS) in 41 games since a trade from the Toronto Blue Jays is not helping.
Houston's roster has a clear need this offseason.
Bats, more bats, and even more bats.
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