Can Injuries Cost the Astros Their Division Lead?
The Houston Astros have managed to stay on top of the AL West despite a wave of injuries, but the real question now is whether they can keep it up or if their lead will slip away as key players remain sidelined.
One of the most compelling stories of the first half of the 2025 season was the Astros’ ability to maintain dominance in the AL West despite an ongoing string of injuries. Week after week, they seemed to be placing a new star player on the IL, but still managed to rack up wins, no matter who was missing from the lineup.
However, with star third baseman Isaac Parades recently placed on the injured list with a strained hamstring, concerns are rising about whether the Astros can stay atop the division with so many key players out. While they’ve held up well so far, the team has gone just 2-7 since the All-Star break, losing two out of six games to the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners in back-to-back series.
As a result, Houston’s once-comfortable division lead has shrunk to just four games, with both the Rangers and Mariners surging at the same time.
With another important player expected to miss at least a couple of weeks, it’s hard to imagine the Astros won’t see their lead continue to dwindle, especially with the competition gaining ground.
The real question now is whether Houston can hold on long enough to get their injured players back before the Mariners can take over the top spot and the Rangers close in. Positive updates have already emerged regarding the recovery of star slugger Yordan Alvarez and veteran pitcher Spencer Arrighetti, and the team expects other injured players to return soon.
Ultimately, it remains to be seen if these reinforcements will arrive in time to help the Astros keep their division lead or if they’ll find themselves battling just to stay in the playoff race rather than defending first place.
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