HOUSTON, TX — With today’s 7-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Park, the Astros have clinched the American League West Division title.
This is the Astros first division title since 2001 and their first ever as an American League club. Additionally, the Astros are now the first club in MLB history to win titles in three different divisions.
Prior to this season, the Astros had won their respective division six times, winning the NL West twice (1980, 1986) and the NL Central four times (1997-99, 2001). Houston has made the postseason as a Wild Card on three occasions, most recently in 2015. The other two times were in 2004 and 2005. Houston also qualified for the postseason in the strike-shortened 1981 season after finishing with the best record in the NL West in the second half of that season.
EARLY CLINCHERS
The 2017 Astros have also clinched their division title faster than any other club in franchise history, having done so after 149 games played. Prior to this season, the 1998 Astros club, which clinched the NL Central after 152 games, had been the fastest. The Astros currently lead the AL West by 15.5 games. The 1998 Astros, who won their division by 12.5 games, hold the club record for largest margin to win a division.
WIN TOTAL
At 91-58, the Astros have reached the 90-win total for the first time since posting a 92-70 mark in 2004. With 13 games remaining, Houston has a chance to move up on the franchise’s all-time best, single-season win totals.
The club record for wins is 102, set by the 1998 club, followed by 97 wins (1999), 96 wins (1986) and 93 wins (1980, 2001).
MLB POSTSEASON SCHEDULE
Major League Baseball’s postseason is scheduled to begin with the AL Wild Card round on Tuesday, October 3. The Astros first postseason game is scheduled for Thursday, October 5 in one of the two American League Division Series. Their opponent and the location of that first game of the series will be determined by their final regular-season record. Currently, the Astros have the second-best record in the AL with a 91-58 mark, trailing Cleveland (93-57) by 1.5 games while leading Boston (85-64) by 6.0 games.