The American League West already knew it was a two-club race. Friday made the history official.
Texas lost 10-2 at Minnesota and Houston fell 6-5 at the Athletics, Yahoo Sports reported, leaving both clubs at 79-81 with two games left. That combination guarantees Major League Baseball's first full-season division champion without a winning record. Before 2026, Yahoo noted, the closest mark was the 2005 Padres at 82-80. Wild-card clubs have finished at or below .500 before. A division winner has not.
The standings tie is not a true share of first place. Houston owns the season-series tiebreaker after going 9-4 against Texas, Heavy Sports and other outlets reiterated Saturday. Matching records on Sunday night still sends the Astros into October. Texas has to finish ahead.
The Saturday clinch board
Sports Illustrated's overnight report laid out the simplest Houston path: an Astros win and a Rangers loss on Saturday would clinch the division before the finale. Even if both clubs win Saturday, Houston would remain a game up with one left and would keep the tiebreaker if Sunday finished even.
Texas needs a gain, not a mirror. Heavy Sports framed the remaining scenarios the same way: a 2-0 Rangers close only works if Houston is no better than 1-1; a 1-1 Texas weekend only works if Houston goes 0-2; an 0-2 finish for Texas ends the chase regardless of Houston's results. There is no one-game playoff for the AL West under the current format.
Wild-card doors are already closed for both clubs. The division is the only October ticket left in the West, and the winner hosts either Cleveland or Chicago in the wild-card round, Sports Illustrated reported.
Eovaldi's first start since August
Into that board walks Nathan Eovaldi, announced Friday night as Saturday's starter against Twins right-hander Bailey Ober. CBS Sports' RotoWire note said it will be Eovaldi's first start since Aug. 7. He returned from right posterior elbow inflammation on Sept. 12 and worked four relief outings (5 ER in 8.2 IP), never throwing more than 46 pitches, per CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated.
Sports Illustrated stressed that Texas skipped a rehab assignment because the calendar did not allow a full starter buildup, then used him as bulk relief. Nobody is projecting seven innings Saturday. The ask is quality innings that keep Minnesota from repeating Friday's early knockout and leave the bullpen a manageable lead to protect.
Eovaldi's 2023 September return after injury produced a rough regular-season finish and a postseason that helped deliver a World Series, Sports Illustrated recalled. Saturday is not October yet. It is the night that decides whether October remains available.
