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Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-28 · by Adam Camarena The Associated Press
Story summary
On Sunday, the Houston Astros clinched the American League West title despite finishing the regular season with an even record of 81-81. This marks the worst winning percentage for a division winner in non-shortened seasons, breaking the previous mark held by the 2005 San Diego Padres (82-80). The Astros secured their ninth postseason appearance in ten years after beating the Athletics 9-0 in West Sacramento and seeing Texas lose to Minnesota. With this win, Houston will host the Chicago White Sox in a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting Tuesday. Yordan Alvarez led the league with a batting average of .316 but had a modest day at bat, going 1 for 4. The Astros' success comes despite facing significant challenges earlier in the season and dropping to eleven games under .500.
Written for “Astros Win AL West” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.
The Houston Astros dropped 11 games under .500.
asserted
Astros → drop → .500
They got rid of their general manager in August.
asserted
They → rid → August
They failed to finished with a winning record.
asserted
They → fail → record
And they won the AL West for the fifth time in six years.
“It’s been a roller coaster of a season, but just to be here and know that the division is back in Houston, that the crown is back.
asserted
crown → win → Houston
It’s a good feeling,” manager Joe Espada said said Sunday after the Astros clinched the title on the final day of the regular season.
asserted
Astros → ’ → season
Nick Allen had just doubled leading off the eighth with the Astros leading by eight runs when Texas lost at Minnesota, assuring the Astros of their ninth postseason trip in 10 years after missing out in 2025.
asserted
Texas → double → 2025
Houston will host the Chicago White Sox in a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting Tuesday.
asserted
Houston → host → Series
The Astros finished one game ahead of Texas (80-82) but would have earned the division title even with a defeat because they held the tiebreaker.
asserted
they → finish → tiebreaker
Houston had the lowest winning percentage for a team reaching the postseason in a non-shortened year, breaking the mark set when the 2005 San Diego Padres went 82-20.
asserted
Padres → have → mark
Any other team would have folded, but these guys chose not to,” Espada said.
asserted
Espada → fold → ?
“It’s about character and this team don’t quit, they fight.”
asserted
they → ’ → character
Yordan Alvarez won the AL batting title with an MLB-best .316 average — the lowest ever for the big league leader.
asserted
Alvarez → win → leader
He had 42 homers and 106 RBIs.
asserted
He → have → homers
“I even told the guys in there that even though I hit 40 home runs, I think the batting title was something I always wanted,” Alvarez said.
asserted
Alvarez → tell → runs
Star infielder Carlos Correa didn’t play after May 4 because of a torn tendon in his left ankle that needed surgery.
uncertain
that → play → surgery
Right-hander Hunter Brown, a 2025 All-Star didn’t pitch for the Astros between March 3 and June 16 because of a strained right shoulder.
asserted
Brown → pitch → shoulder
“Every team deals with adversity, and at that time, it was just ours,” Brown said.
asserted
Brown → deal → time
Shortstop Jeremy Peña, the 2022 World Series MVP, was sidelined between April 11 and May 18 by a strained right hamstring and between June 28 and July 10 by a strained left calf.
uncertain
Peña → sideline → calf
All-Star closer Josh Hader didn’t pitch until June 3 because of left biceps tendinitis.
asserted
Hader → pitch → tendinitis
Houston was 20-31 through May 20 but dropped only as much as six games out of first in a weak division.
uncertain
Houston → drop → division
The Astros took sole possession of first with an 11-2 win over the Rangers on July 31 and held at least a share of the lead for most of the rest of the season.
asserted
Astros → take → season
“All games in the big leagues are important, and today came down to winning the last one,” Brown said.
asserted
Brown → come → one
“We’ve been playing playoff baseball for the last couple of weeks.
asserted
We → play → weeks
We’re ready to go.”
asserted
We → ’re → ?
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