Should You Back the Astros or Rangers In the MLB's AL West?

From an offensive standout, tonight’s MLB All-Star Game features a heavy presence of Texas Rangers. With a lineup that can tear through weak pitching, the Rangers seem formidable. Still, there are questions about their ability to compete against the strong rotations usually seen in the playoffs. The Rangers’ starting trio of Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, and Martin Perez raises eyebrows, a stark contrast to what it may have looked like if Jacob DeGrom had stayed healthy.

Let’s not ignore the Houston Astros. With Framber Valdez on the bump and a current frontrunner for the AL Cy Young, the Astros are a force to be reckoned with. In addition, other starters, including Cristian Javier, Hunter Brown, J.P. France, Jose Urquidy, and Ronel Blanco, there’s a lot to like here with Houston’s pitching. They might not have the veteran ace like a Justin Verlander-Gerrit Cole-led rotation, but there’s reason to be bullish about this group. 

As we approach the trade deadline, seeing how these teams bolster their rosters will be intriguing. On the surface, the Seattle Mariners arguably boast the best overall starting rotation in the AL West. Yet their batting order sometimes leaves more to be desired.

Looking at the betting odds, the Rangers and Astros are locked in a close race. The Rangers sit at -110, while the Astros follow closely at +100, with a considerable drop to the Mariners at +1300, the LA Angels at +3500, and the Oakland Athletics trailing at +25000.

With the experience the Astros have in these situations, it isn’t easy to bet against them. Despite their June struggles, they’ve stayed only two games behind the Rangers. This shows their resilience and adaptability, qualities crucial down the stretch in an MLB season. The Rangers, on the other hand, have struggled against upper-echelon teams, which could be a red flag. 

While the Rangers may have had a strong start, there are reasons to have more faith in the Astros pulling through in the second half of the season. The youth and inexperience of the Rangers, coupled with their recent performance against good teams, doesn’t instill much confidence in their ability to outlast the Astros.

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