Houston Astros rebound from 11 games under .500 and win AL West despite finishing 81-81

"It's been a roller coaster of a season, but just to be here and know that the division is back in Houston, that the crown is back, it's a good feeling," manager Joe Espada said after the Astros clinched the title on the final day of the regular season.

Nick Allen had just doubled leading off the eighth inning with Houston leading the Athletics by eight runs when Texas lost 6-4 at Minnesota , assuring the Astros of their ninth postseason trip in 10 years after missing out in 2025.

Houston will host the Chicago White Sox in a best-of-three Wild Card Series. The Astros finished one game ahead of Texas (80-82) but would have earned the division title even with a defeat because they held the tiebreaker.