This is a bit like one of those philosophical experiments.
If before the season began, if you had offered the Houston Astros a chance to make the playoffs on the final day of the MLB regular season, they surely would’ve taken that chance, right?
It’s just that they might not have seen it looking quite like this.
The Astros enter the final day of the year at 80-81. That’s pretty much never been good enough to have a chance at a playoff spot in reach on the final day.
But this is an unusual year in the AL West Division. The Texas Rangers also enter the final day of the year at 80-81, and there’s no team in the division better.
That means that the AL West will have a champion that’s either 81-81, or 80-82. Either way, it’ll be the worst playoff record in MLB history.
Both teams at least preserved their opportunity by winning on Saturday — the Astros in Sacramento against the A’s, and the Rangers in Minnesota against the Twins.
Now comes the drama. Only one will play on beyond Sunday.
It might not be how they drew it up, but they’ve got a chance, and that’s the main thing that matters at this point.
They talk about teams that get into the playoffs starting a “new season,” and that everyone is 0-0. If the Astros get in, they’ll gladly take that.
Astros Playoff Scenarios
The good news for the Astros is that despite the tied records, they’re actually the team that controls their own destiny.
Houston holds the tiebreaker over the Rangers, and so they’re in a better spot entering Sunday.
If the Astros win in Sacramento, nothing the Rangers accomplish matters. Houston would be going to the playoffs.
If the Astros lose, though, they aren’t out yet. They would still get into the playoffs if the Rangers also losing.
The games begin within five minutes of each other on Sunday afternoon.
Whoever wins the division will be the AL’s 3-seed, because the division winners are required to be the top-three seeds. They’ll host a best-of-three Wild Card Series against 6-seed Chicago White Sox, who placed second in the AL Central Division.
Astros-Rangers Tiebreaker
The first tiebreaker, and the one being used here, is season-long head-to-head record between the tied teams.
If the Astros and Rangers end up with the same record, that’s the method that’ll be used to break the tie.
Houston won the season series between the teams, 9-4.
On the final day of the MLB regular season, that could turn out to be quite important.
How Astros Can Make Playoffs Today Over Rangers