The Astros’ 101 regular-season wins no longer matter. Having baseball’s best offense has become irrelevant.
Houston is one loss from a stunning end to its season, and after three straight defeats, doubt would be natural. Panic could come easy.
Carlos Beltran has seen it before. The 40-year-old has seen almost everything in his 20-year career.
So, following the Astros’ 5-0 loss in Game 5 of the ALCS Wednesday night, Beltran — and fellow former Yankee Brian McCann — gave a speech to the team in the visitors’ clubhouse, hoping to save a season that looked just days ago like it would end with a World Series trip.