HOUSTON — The Houston Astros are adept at authoring history. Their latest attempt may be the most daunting. This is one of 159 teams since 1901 to begin a season by losing 17 of 24 games.
Of the previous 158, four finished with a winning record. Just two made the postseason. Houston’s bid to become the third received a substantial boost this weekend.
Winning two of three games against Seattle moved the Astros into a tie with the Mariners atop the American League West. The Astros slept on Saturday with the division lead for the first time all season. Advertisement Sunday’s 6-4 loss created a virtual tie and a furious final 63 games to break it.
If general manager Dana Brown’s insistence in May didn’t signal it, his team will be aggressive buyers during the July 30 trade deadline with a focus on its injury-ravaged starting rotation. Here are two takeaways as Brown and his baseball operations staff begin their work. Explaining the luxury tax Houston’s proximity to the second luxury tax threshold could influence the club’s decision-making at the trade deadline unless owner Jim Crane chooses to venture further into uncharted territory.
Crane is already carrying the largest payroll in franchise history and is primed to pay the competitive balance tax for the first time in his ownership tenure. The Astros exceeded the first luxury tax threshold in 2020, but penalties were eliminated during the pandemic-shortened season. This year, the Astros have a $254,790,044 luxury .