During a recent episode of the Talkin’ Yanks podcast, Jake Storiale shared how the Houston Astros are once again the favorite to win the American League but nobody is ready to have that conversation.
Sharing more insights about which AL team will make it to the playoffs, the Jomboy Media VP first declares how Jomboy Media’s Chris Rose has doubts about Cleveland Guardians’ chances in the playoffs.
Rose is an avid fan of the Guardians and his pessimism about the team’s chances speaks volumes. Next, Jake moves onto the traditional powerhouse like the Yankees, who are iconic but no longer dominant, saying,
“I hate this, but they’re closer to being like the [NFL] Dallas Cowboys currently than the old Yankees.”
The Houston Astros are once again the favorite to win the American League pic.twitter.com/qJlqMAi5N4
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 17, 2024
The comparison is apt because both MLB’s Yankees and NFL’s Dallas Cowboys reigned supreme but eventually lost their glory.
Additionally, Jake also brought up the Baltimore Orioles’ absence from the World Series in the last 15 years. But, stats speak otherwise. Baltimore is just one game down from the Yankees and they’re the third-highest in the AL right now.
While it is true that, in the 2024 MLB season, the AL looks competitive with teams such as the Yankees, Orioles, and Guardians showing potential, they are at the same time also struggling with inconsistency.
This creates room for the two-time World Series champion, Houston Astros to topple other AL teams, with a strong track record in the postseason in the last few years.
Currently, the H-town are looking strong to take home the AL pennant despite facing challenges early on in the season within the AL West division.
They recently showed resurgence by winning eight games in a row although they did stumble with a loss to the struggling Chicago White Sox. Other than some pitching-related issues, Houston’s recent performance shows that they are ready for another playoff run.
White Sox halts Astros’ red-hot momentum
The Houston Astros’ straight eight wins was halted by a 5-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Luis Robert Jr., a standout player for the White Sox made an impact by hitting two home runs off Astros rookie, Spencer Arrighetti.
Arrighetti, who pitched 52/3 innings and allowed four runs faced a moment in the innings due to a missed defensive play, which resulted in a run-scoring and shifted the game’s momentum.
Currently, the Astros are leading in the AL West. They have a three-game advantage over the Seattle Mariners, who also suffered a fifth straight loss to the Pirates.
White Sox pitcher, Garrett Crochet showed a strong performance by striking out nine batters in four innings, while Robert’s play included a two-run homer in the third inning and a solo shot in the fifth that barely cleared the fence.
Although losing is disappointing, the Astros remain in a good position for postseason success.
