The Houston Astros will be kicking off their path to the 2026 World Series on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox.
Houston will be looking to cause major damage after seemingly squeaking into the postseason. And as one former Astros star put it, riding momentum into October can be the deciding factor.
Former MLB closer Brad Lidge weighed in on the Astros’ playoff chances this fall. Speaking to Heavy, courtesy of Casino Guru, Lidge made it clear that the playoffs nowadays allow just about any team a real chance to win.
“I think that one thing we will continue to see is that if a team rolls into the postseason playing well, if they have a gap, if they have a, a space of time, 4 or 5, 6, 7 days, they’re no better off, and in fact, most of the time they’re worse off. I would rather see a team playing well continue to have to play, continue to have to grind through games.”
In other words, Lidge believes the Astros should just keep doing what got them to the playoffs in the first place.
“A lot of times this kind of mentality that happens when you’re grinding at the end of the season in September and then you have to take it right into October, it’s a better recipe for success.”
It seems the path forward is clear for the Astros. Just keep grinding away, and success could very well be there.
Lidge Issues Astros One Crucial Warning
The former closer, who had a career-high 42 saves with the Astros in 2005, issued a clear warning to Houston pitchers taking the mound this week.
“It’s just basically you’re going to want to make sure you throw strikes. It’s one of those deals where you give a couple free passes out there in the postseason, and for whatever reason teams really seem to be able to take advantage of that and, if you’re going to give up a bomb, the one-run, the solo shot’s not going to kill you, but the 2-3 run home run will.”
That’s advice the Astros pitchers can take to heart. If they’re going to give up any home runs, it’s best to do it with the bases empty.
And yes, that’s savvy advice. A three-run dinger can quickly change a game’s complexity. In October, it could mean an abrupt end to a team’s season.
Lidge offered this piece of advice on why avoiding walks is crucial in the postseason.
“But when you do give up a free pass, when you start walking guys, it totally lifts the other team and it gives them a sense that anything’s possible in those situations.”
The mission for Astros pitching is simple: Throw strikes and let the defense take care of the rest.
Current Playoff Format Offers This Advantage
Lidge touched on one final point. In particular, the current playoff format offers teams an opportunity to take advantage of the circumstances for one interesting reason.
“I think that there are some advantages if you have, especially early in the postseason, if you have a great 1-2 punch in your rotation or 1-2-3 guys…”
While the Astros don’t necessarily have a lights-out 1-2 punch, the Peter Lambert-Hunter Brown combo could be the type of 1-2 punch opponents don’t want to see at this time of the year. And if Lambert and Brown can be that combo for the Astros, Lidge’s advice could come to fruition.
“I don’t know if there’s an advantage or disadvantage overall, but right now I would say there’s an advantage for sure early on if you’ve got a great 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation.”
The Astros’ path to the World Series will start on Tuesday. With AJ Blubuagh scheduled to take the mound, the recipe for success will be taking things one game at a time.
Astros Have Recipe for Playoff Success, Former MLB Star Says