If the Rangers are going to be relevant, they have to beat the Astros. Houston has owned the American League for six years straight.

It may surprise you to know they haven’t finished first in the west every one of those years. In 2020, they went to the American League Championship series against Tampa Bay after finishing second in the division. With a record under .500.

If you had ten guesses as to who won the division that year—and you know it wasn’t Texas or Houston—you might not get it right. 

It was Oakland. Yes, the Athletics. How quickly the penny pinchers fall.

Houston has won the A.L. West five of the past six seasons. But before that, the Rangers had the best run of their franchise.

One thing is apparent. When the Astros are good, they dominate the Rangers. And when the Rangers are good, they dominate the Astros.

Look at their records against one another during each franchise’s glory years. Interesting that the one under .500 year the Astros had, they didn’t have a winning record against the Rangers. And the one under .500 year the Rangers had, they didn’t have a winning record against the Astros.

The secret for either one of these teams’ success is beating the other team.

The Rangers are in Houston for three, starting today. Let the domination begin.

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