The American League West is no longer a shared headline. It is a six-game problem with a one-game cushion.
Texas sits 78-78 entering Tuesday, a game ahead of Houston at 77-79, per ESPN's standings. None of the Rangers' remaining games are against the Astros. Globe Life Field opens a three-game set with the Mets at 7:05 p.m. CT, then Texas closes the year with three at Minnesota. Houston starts two in Seattle before four against the Athletics in Sacramento.
That schedule looks soft on paper. The standings math is not. Houston won the season series 9-4 and owns the division tiebreaker, according to Dallas Sports Journal's final-week breakdown and CBS Sports' tiebreaker guide. A dead heat would send the Astros through as West champions. Texas has to finish ahead, not alongside.
Quantrill off the board, Gore first up
The pitching sheet for those six games is already thinner than it was a week ago. Cal Quantrill left Saturday's win over Toronto with right lat tightness after 1 1/3 innings and was placed on the 15-day injured list Sunday, ending his regular season. Reuters and MLB Trade Rumors both carried the move; Winston Santos was recalled.
MacKenzie Gore (8-11, 4.67) draws the Mets' Sean Manaea (5-7, 4.74) on Tuesday. It is Gore's first start since muscle spasms in his back and shoulder shortened his Sept. 16 outing against Boston. Over his last five starts, Dallas Sports Journal noted, he has allowed 17 earned runs in 20 innings with 17 walks and 11 strikeouts.
President of baseball operations Chris Young, speaking Monday on 105.3 The Fan, said the club is operating day by day after Gore.
Jacob deGrom will pitch one of the remaining games; the rest of the rotation will be matched to availability and opponent. deGrom (11-10, 3.86) lasted 4 1/3 innings and allowed three earned runs in Sunday's 7-2 loss to Toronto, his second start back from mild groin tightness.
Young's public message to the roster was blunt: take the division rather than wait for Houston to give it away. He said a one-game lead with six to play is a spot he would have signed up for in spring, regardless of the .500 record.
Two lanes, one preferred exit
The wild-card picture still sits behind the White Sox. Chicago is 80-76 for the third American League wild card; Texas is two games back and Houston three, with Toronto 3 1/2 out after Monday's loss to Baltimore, per Dallas Sports Journal. Cleveland leads the AL Central at 81-75, so the White Sox are still chasing a division as well as holding the last wild-card line.
