Houston Astros humiliate archrival in All-Star vote

After a disastrous start to the season, the Houston Astros have finally found their form. Starting with a 12-24 record, they are one of the best teams in baseball, going 32-18 and climbing from last to second place in the American League West. Heading into Thursday’s season opener, they are just two games behind the Seattle Mariners.

The Astros also got some good news regarding the All-Star Game. Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez were named All-Star starters, marking Altuve’s ninth All-Star nomination and Alvarez’s third straight selection. If he hadn’t been injured, Kyle Tucker might have joined them.

Surprisingly, no Texas Rangers players were selected to start the All-Star Game, which is shocking for two reasons. Not only did the Rangers just win the World Series last fall, but they are also hosting the Midsummer Classic at Globe Life Field in Arlington.

Those two facts usually give a boost to All-Star votes, but not for Texas.

The Rangers have been a huge disappointment all season, and are dealing with a serious case of World Series hangover. They are eight games out of .500 and are just 33-45 since starting the season with a 6-2 mark, allowing Houston to overtake them in the standings.

That’s because many of Texas’ position players have fallen off from last year, including Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Adolis Garcia. Fans are clearly not happy with their performance and haven’t shown them enough support in the polls.

The Astros have dominated the Rangers for much of the past decade, and that trend continues in 2024. Texas’ seven-game triumph over Houston in last year’s ALCS already feels like a blip, especially if the Rangers don’t turn things around in the second half.

In the meantime, don’t be surprised if Arlington is overrun by Astros fans in a few weeks.