A casual fan's guide to the Houston Astros this postseason

• They entered the postseason as the winningest team in the American League.

The Astros kicked off the American League Division Series yesterday in true October fashion with an astonishing 8-7 walk-off victory over the division rival Mariners.

• The winner of this five-game series advances to the American League Championship Series against either the New York Yankees or the Cleveland Guardians.

Storylines to watch:

• Justin Verlander is vying for another Cy Young Award. The 39-year-old ace underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021 but came back big in 2022, pitching a 1.75 ERA in the regular season, the lowest in the MLB.
• Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman want to stay in Houston for the remainder of their careers, Chron reports. The infield duo have played their entire careers in Houston and helped bring the city its first World Series title in 2017.
• Speaking of World Series titles, the Los Angeles Dodgers are highly seeded this postseason and are heavy contenders for the National League pennant. Are we in for a 2017 World Series rematch?

How to watch: The ALDS will be streamed on TBS.

• The Astros were once again snubbed for a prime-time slot for the division series.
• First pitch for Game 2 of the ALDS is at 2:37pm tomorrow.