Astros Make History as Lowest Seed in Playoffs

The Houston Astros entered the 2026 Major League Baseball playoffs with the lowest win-loss record in postseason history. On Tuesday night at Daikin Park, they did not disappoint—unfortunately for them.

Facing a win-or-go-home scenario in their final game of the regular season, the Astros secured a spot in October baseball with a convincing 9-0 victory, thanks to a strong bullpen performance and a 29th homer of the season from Christian Walker. In their playoff opener, they opted for a similar strategy, starting long reliever A.J. Blubaugh, supported by Bryan King and Miguel Ullola.

However, against the Chicago White Sox, the American League’s top offense, that plan backfired. The White Sox capitalized on two walks in the first inning, along with a throwing error by Walker, allowing Munetaka Murakami to deliver a sacrifice fly that put Chicago up 1-0. Things quickly escalated in the second inning; a single from Chase Meidroth and a hit-by-pitch for Colson Montgomery set the stage for Sam Antonacci, who hit a big drive to extend the lead to 3-0.

A solo home run from Montgomery, combined with some shaky pitching from Houston, helped the White Sox stretch their lead to 6-2 after Nelson Velazquez hit a two-run homer. The Astros found themselves unable to recover, with Grant Taylor closing the game with five strikeouts over 2.1 innings and giving Chicago a 1-0 series lead.

This game highlighted the overall trend of the two teams throughout the season. Chicago’s lineup made the most of a struggling Houston bullpen, and a rookie unexpectedly stepped up as the star of the night.

Hagen Smith, only recently introduced to big-league action with just 28 innings of experience, performed remarkably, pitching three scoreless innings with only two batters reaching base. Meanwhile, Antonacci continued to shine at the top of the lineup, and Murakami added to the offense, scoring two runs and bringing in another. It’s somewhat surprising, really, to see a team with the 25th highest payroll in baseball so close to winning a playoff series, especially as speculation about a salary cap looms.

This victory marked Chicago’s first foray into postseason success since 2021, representing a significant turnaround from their dismal 41-121 record in 2024. Smart offseason acquisitions and strong player development have clearly paid dividends.

As for the Astros, their performance was a reflection of their 81-81 record—capable of brilliance but often riddled with inconsistency. While both teams played a bullpen game this time, the next match promises a more traditional pitching showdown, as each team sends its ace to the mound, leaving the Astros facing elimination.

On the pitching front, Houston will start Hunter Brown, who bounced back from injury with a respectable 3.19 ERA, while Chicago turns to the promising Sean Burke. In the playoffs, strong pitching can be the great equalizer, and both teams have pitchers who could pose significant challenges for the opposing lineups.

Interestingly, one of the most enthusiastic White Sox fans might just be The Pope, who sent a letter to the organization ahead of the playoffs. With one more win, he could be hoping for a chance to beat the Cleveland Guardians and aim for the AL Championship Series.