The Astros opened the 2022 campaign as a legitimate World Series contender and favorites to win their fifth AL West title in six seasons. Houston did not disappoint and rolled to their third AL pennant in four seasons before knocking off the Philadelphia Phillies in six games to capture the franchise's second World Series crown.
Staff ace Justin Verlander went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA to claim his third Cy Young Award, and designated hitter Yordan Alvarez and second baseman Jose Altuve batted .306 and .300, respectively.
Despite losing Verlander in free agency, the Astros will field another championship-caliber squad in 2023.
The Houston Astros are an American League (AL) West division team based in Houston, Texas. They were founded in 1962 as the Houston Colt .45s and were officially renamed the Astros in 1965 when they moved to their former home, the Astrodome. The Astros have been members of the American League since 2013 after previously being part of the National League since their inception.
The Astros have won two World Series championships, first in 2017 and then again in 2022, appearing in a total of five finals. They have also won four AL pennants and one NL pennant, as well as a total of twelve Division titles. Some of the key moments from their history include winning their first National League pennant in 2005, Nolan Ryan's no-hitter in 1981 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Jeff Bagwell's MVP season of 1994.
The Astros play their home games at Minute Maid Park in downtown Houston. The ballpark is known for its unique outfield dimensions that were designed to maximize offense with Crawford Boxes in left field and Tal’s Hill in center field. It features spectacular views of downtown and has a retractable roof that allows for open-air baseball on beautiful days.
The biggest rivals of the Astros are traditionally teams within their own division - the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, and Oakland Athletics. The rivalry between the Astros and Rangers is especially strong due to both teams being located within close proximity of each other, and they compete with them in the Lone Star Series for the Silver Boot Trophy each season. Historically speaking, the Astros have had mixed success against all these teams but particularly strong performances against Seattle over recent seasons.
The Houston Astros have had many star players throughout their history including Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Nolan Ryan, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, Justin Verlander, and Gerrit Cole.
