There are several reasons for the Houston Astros’ stunning position at the top of the American League West standings.
A decent enough rotation led by dominant ace Dallas Keuchel; a dominant bullpen that is on a historic pace, threatening to set the record for lowest WHIP in a season since 1920; a powerful lineup that is among the best slugging teams in the majors; and a defense that is surprisingly effective at preventing runs.
You can point to a number of factors for the Astros sitting three games ahead of the Texas Rangers in the AL West, pushing their competitive clock ahead by about two years.