End of an Era: The Astros Finally Miss October
- Qulzum Nafees
- Oct 4
- 2 min read
For the first time in what feels like forever (eight years), October is starting without the Houston Astros. A team that almost seemed to be a permanent postseason fixture will officially be watching the playoffs from their couches.
The Astros' eight-year playoff streak wasn't just impressive; it was baseball's longest ongoing dynasty. The team survived scandals, rebuilds, and rule changes, all while making the ALCS their second home. But now? They're gone.
H-Town and What Went Wrong
Injuries, everywhere: Key arms were down, the bullpen was running on fumes, and the usually stacked rotation looked more like a rehab unit than a playoff machine.
Vibes = Gone: For a team that was built on aura, this year felt muted. No villains, no us vs. the world energy... just baseballs and bases.
The AL caught up (finally): Seattle put an end to a 24-year drought, the Guardians took off, the Tigers had a moment, and thus the Astros were no longer inevitable.
Why This Hurts More
It's not just that Houston's out. Or that the school holiday that Houston kids get for a championship parade won't be happening this year. It's that October's whole identity of baseball feels different without them. Love them or hate them, they were the drama. They gave us bat flips and an unending amount of online discourse and now someone else has to take on that role.
The Internet Reacts
The baseball twitter/X fandom spent no time waiting before they threw dirt on Houston's October grave.
Rival team fans? Their party has just begun. Yankees and Dodgers fans were posting "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead" gifs before the final score was even called.
Astros haters pulled out the receipts. From trash can memes to clips of the team being booed over the past years.
Even Houston die-hards were posting self-deprecating content. Saying that they had a good run, and it was time to look at the feeling of April golf.
The Astros missing October is much more than a baseball story, it's veering into being something of pop culture. For eight years, they were seen as a villain in the league, the reality stars of postseason MLB. And now they're gone, and the internet is wasting no time in finding the next star of the MLB.
The Legacy & the What-If
Eight straight years in the playoffs is no small feat. They gave us World Series runs, controversies, and enough meme material to last a lifetime. But baseball moves fast. One missed postseason can be the start of a downfall, or perhaps a hurdle before another brilliant run.
The Astros' absence makes October feel wide open. And for the first time since 2016, the rest of the league doesn't have to go through Houston to get the trophy.
Edited by Ashley Holloman
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