First off, this isn't a postmortem. If things ended Friday, the Houston Astros would be in the postseason, albeit by the narrowest of margins.
But, whereas the surprising 'Stros looked like an October lock for much of the season, now they're hanging on by a thread—one that's slipping rapidly from their grasp.
After Friday's 6-2 loss to the Texas Rangers, Houston now sits 4.5 games off the pace in the American League West with eight games to play.
And with the Los Angeles Angels' 8-4 win over the Seattle Mariners, Houston is just a half-game ahead of the surging Halos for the AL's second wild-card slot.