Astros win AL West at 81-81, set record for worst division champion

The Houston Astros captured the American League West title on Sunday with a 9-0 victory over the Athletics, finishing the regular season at 81-81. They claimed the division after the Texas Rangers lost their finale, leaving both teams tied at 80-81 before Houston's win.

Houston becomes the first division winner in a full-length MLB season to finish with a non-winning record. The previous low mark was the 2005 San Diego Padres, who won the NL West at 82-80.

“They are, still, a playoff team.”

The Astros posted a minus-41 run differential, the worst ever for a playoff qualifier, and used a franchise-record 19 starting pitchers. Despite the historic lows, they led the majors in home runs.

Houston will host the Chicago White Sox in a best-of-three Wild Card series beginning Tuesday at Daikin Park. The White Sox return to the postseason for the first time since 2020 after three consecutive 100-loss seasons.

General manager Dana Brown was dismissed in August amid the team's struggles. The roster relies heavily on AL MVP candidate Yordan Alvarez and closer Josh Hader, who converted all 26 save opportunities with a 1.01 ERA.