Submitted for your Wild Card approval...the Houston Astros.
Yes. Second year in a row. But hear me out.
As of right now, you have four real competitors for the Wild Card spots. We know one of them, at least, is gonna come from the AL East. If the Blue Jays end the year in first, the Sox take it, or maybe the Jays take it if the Sox climb to first, or maybe it's the Orioles, but it's definitely at least one AL East team.
So...it's between the Red Sox, the Tigers, the Orioles and the Astros. Right now, at least, although I don't see the Yankees or Mariners becoming huge playoff threats for this year, and the Royals...are kinda done right now.
The Astros, while, again, the underdog here, shouldn't be counted out quite yet- they've rebounded a TON since their rocky start, and have reclaimed second place after a brief Mariners takeover. Their lineup is actually pretty nice right now, after getting rid of the defunct Carlos Gomez. Evan Gattis, George Springer, Colby Rasmus, and, yes, the unstoppable Jose Altuve, are doing a nice job with hitting, but a shoutout should go to the youth movement- Alex Bregman, Teoscar Hernandez and the somehow unheralded arrival of Yuliesky Gurriel have been keeping the lineup fresh and poppy, even with the bulk of it made up of older, power hitter guys.
The pitching staff still needs some work, but it's obviously farther along than it was last season, and guys like Collin McHugh and Doug Fister are making this less nerve-racking.
So...like last year, it could happen, and in the next month or so the effort could greaten. But as of right now, they're in the mix, and they're waiting for the kick.
Coming Tomorrow- A custom I have waited since May to post, of one of my favorite current players.
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