Astros Clinch Home-Field Advantage Throughout 2022 AL Playoffs with Yankees Loss

The Houston Astros secured home-field advantage for the playoffs on Friday.

Houston Astros @astros

The American League runs through Houston. pic.twitter.com/xjtg2ffL1f

Thanks to the New York Yankees' loss to the Baltimore Orioles, the Astros are the best team in the American League.

Houston qualified for the playoffs for the sixth year in a row on September 16. Three days later, it won the American League West. In the past six years, the franchise has won five division titles.

While most of the attention was on the New York Yankees, the Astros were the best team in the American League. They took advantage of the Pinstripers' second-half collapse to get there, but they have been phenomenal since the All-Star break.

The Astros were 4.5 games behind the Yankees going into the All-Star weekend. After moving into sole possession of first place on August 12th, they never looked back.

The Houston Astros have won at least 100 games in four of the last five years. In its first 54 years, it had just one 100 win season.

In the last two years, the Astros have had home field advantage in the playoffs. They won the World Series both times. They lost to the Atlanta Braves in the Fall Classic last year, despite being the second seed in the American League.

The Astros have won at least one playoff series in each of the last five years. The Astros can extend their run to six seasons by playing most of their games in the division series at Minute Maid Park.