The Rangers travel to Houston for three games. This gives the Rangers a first-hand look at the talent gap between them and a championship-caliber team.

Houston has been to the American League Championship Series five years in a row, and the World Series twice in that span, winning once. Even in the Rangers golden years, 2010 to 2016, they never had a stretch that good.

In that same span Houston has been the best in the American League, Texas has finished third, fifth, third, fifth, and fifth in the West.

They are 3-8 against Houston this season, 5-14 against them in 2021, 5-5 in 2020, 6-13 in 2019, 7-12 in 2018, and 7-12 in 2017.

Back when the Rangers were good, it was just the opposite.

In 2016, when Texas won the West, they went 14-5 against Houston, and 13-6 the year before, also when they won the West.

In 2013, the Rangers were 17-2 against the Astros, which was Houston’s first year in the American League.

So, Texas heads to Houston for three games, a whopping 21 games behind the Astros.

Light years behind them in every other aspect. 

*****