Astros Beat Rays to Clinch 2021 American League West Title

The Houston Astros have clinched a playoff spot for the fifth straight year after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday.

The Astros struggled during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, going 29-31 and sneaking into the playoffs with the eighth and final American League playoff seed.

However, they rattled off series wins against the Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics before falling in seven games to the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series.

Houston entered the 2021 season with some significant concerns.

The team lost power-hitting outfielder George Springer in the offseason to free agency, and that's on top of the bad news it got in September 2020 when it was revealed that 2019 American League Cy Young winner Justin Verlander would miss the 2021 campaign due to Tommy John surgery.

The Astros were forced to persevere through those losses in addition to a quad injury from third baseman Alex Bregman, who was out for over two months this summer.

Despite all that, the Astros have held the American League West lead alone since June 21. They also have a well-rounded lineup that features seven players with an OPS of .800 or better. Their .266 team batting average leads MLB, and they have pop up and down the lineup with eight players having 10 or more home runs.

The team's exceptional pitching staff is fourth in the American League with a 3.74 ERA.

Led by manager Dusty Baker, the Astros look like a formidable force on their quest for a third AL pennant in five years. They're also seeking their first World Series title since 2017.