What the Astros did to the Rangers at Globe Life Field should be illegal.
It was brutal, demoralizing and humiliating.
A three-game sweep in which the Astros scored 39 runs and drilled 50 hits, including 16 home runs, was a powerful demonstration of what they're capable of doing in the stretch drive to win the American League West, reach a fifth World Series in seven years and become the first team to repeat as champions since the Yankees in 2000.
But there's one problem, and it's been a big problem: The Astros have to return to Minute Maid Park to play the Padres.
It's not San Diego the Astros need to spend sleepless nights fretting over – it's playing at home.
Going into the weekend series with the Padres, the Astros have an 80-61 record and a one-game lead over the Mariners (78-61). The Rangers, who are 4-15 over their last 19 games, are 76-63 and three games out of first place after getting obliterated by the Astros.
The issue has to do with the Astros' mediocrity at Minute Maid Park. They're 45-27 on the road and 35-34 at home. They have an eight-game winning streak on the road. They're 13-6 on the road since Aug. 1, but they're 6-9 in their last 15 games at home, including 2-8 after the embarrassing sweep by the Yankees. They were swept by the Mariners on their previous homestand.
Maybe Dusty Baker can petition Major League Baseball to play their home games at Globe Life Field.
The Astros own the Rangers with a 9-4 record like the Mariners own the Astros – 8-2 with three games remaining in Seattle.
Before we get to what happened in Arlington, let's look at what's ahead. The good news is the Astros play 12 of their next 15 games against teams with losing records, beginning with the Padres, the most disappointing team in baseball this season. The bad news is they play 12 of 15 at Minute Maid Park.
The Astros haven't won a series at home since taking two of three from the Angels on Aug. 11-12. The last time they swept a team at home was July 31 through Aug. 2 when they won three in a row over the Guardians.
Maybe the conquest of the Rangers in such overwhelming fashion will carry over to Minute Maid Park. After the way they pulverized the Rangers and stomped on their pitching staff, including ace Max Scherzer on Wednesday, their confidence level should be sky high. Baseball Reference says their chance to make the playoffs is now 96.3 percent, and their chance to win a third World Series is pegged at 10.1.
Their prodigious hitting, especially Jose Altuve's five home runs, including three in one game, destroyed the Rangers and got most of the attention. And deservedly so. But the pitching can't be overlooked. Wednesday's matchup of Hall of Fame pitchers – Scherzer vs. Justin Verlander – was so one-sided it was embarrassing.
The Astros won 12-3, and Verlander bounced back from his worst performance since being traded back to Houston with an outstanding game. He pitched seven innings, allowed four hits and one earned run. He struck out six and walked one in his 100-pitch effort. Verlander increased his record to 11-7 and lowered his ERA to 3.23. Not too shabby for a 40-year-old.
As for Scherzer, he was pounded into submission. In three innings, he surrendered seven runs on six hits, including home runs by Michael Brantley, Yordan Alvarez and Jose Abreu. Speaking of Abreu, he belted two homers, including a grand slam and a three-run shot. It's never too late for him to earn that big contract Jim Crane gave him.
Altuve, Abreu, Alvarez, Mauricio Dubon and Martin Maldonado hit multiple home runs against the Rangers. Brantley, Yainer Diaz and Chad McCormick hit one apiece. They bashed the Rangers for 16 homers, a team record for a three-game series.
At Globe Life Field, the Astros hit .397, generated a 1.299 OPS and produced 23 extra-base hits. Scoring 39 runs amounted to the second-most in team history to the 40 they scored against Minnesota in 2017. They became the first team in MLB history with at least at least 50 hits and 16 runs in a three-game series.
Now the Astros return to Minute Maid Park against the Padres, who have a 66-75 record. They were projected to dethrone the Dodgers as NL West champions, but they're 19.5 games out of first place in a disastrous season. They're still loaded with talent, and they're capable of doing to the Astros what the Yankees did – sweeping them at home.
Startin pitchers against the Padres are Hunter Brown (10-10, 4.53 ERA), Cristian Javier (9-3, 4.65) and J.P. France (10-5, 3.72).
After San Diego, the Astros have nine games against Oakland and Kansas City, sandwiched around a series against Baltimore, which has the best record in the American League. Unfortunately, it's a home series against the Orioles.
This would be the ideal time for the Astros to stage a reversal of misfortune at Minute Maid Park because every game is crucial as they try to maintain their lead in the AL West and win a third World Series.
John McClain can be heard Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday on SportsRadio 610 and Monday, Thursday and Sunday on Texans Radio, also on SportsRadio 610. He writes five columns a week and does three Houtopia Football Podcasts for SportsRadio610.com.
