Editing Houston Astros (section)

==Rivalries==
===Divisional===
====Lone Star Series: Texas Rangers====
{{main|Lone Star Series}}
[[File:Silver Boot.JPG|thumb|The Silver Boot is awarded annually to the winner of the Lone Star Series]]
The '''Lone Star Series''' (also, '''Silver Boot Series''') is a [[Major League Baseball]] rivalry featuring Texas' two major league franchises, the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] and Astros. It is an outgrowth of the "natural rivalry" established by MLB as part of [[interleague play]] as the Rangers are a member of the [[American League]] and the Astros were a member of the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] until {{mlby|2012}}.

During interleague play, the winner of the 6-game series was awarded the Silver Boot. A {{convert|30|in|mm|adj=on}} tall display of a size-15 [[cowboy boot]] cast in silver, complete with a custom, handmade [[spur]]. If the series was split (3–3), the winner was the club which scored the most [[run (baseball)|runs]] over the course of the series.

In {{mlby|2013}}, the Astros joined the [[American League West]] with the Rangers and changed their rivalry from an interleague to an intra-division rivalry, the Astros played their first game in the American League against the Rangers on Sunday Night Baseball that season. In 2015, both teams made the playoffs and were in a tight division race during most of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sbnation.com/2015/9/14/9323839/rangers-astros-rivalry-series|title=You're watching the start of a Rangers-Astros rivalry your grandkids will care about|author=Grant Brisbee|date=September 14, 2015|publisher=Vox Media|work=SBNation.com}}</ref> Both teams qualified for the postseason again in 2023. While the teams had identical regular season records of 90–72, the Astros won the division title for their better head-to-head record (9–4), whilst the Rangers clinched the wild card berth. The Astros and Rangers had their first postseason matchup in the [[2023 American League Championship Series|2023 ALCS]], with the Rangers ultimately winning in seven games.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 12, 2023 |title=Astros and Rangers headed to ALCS, first-ever postseason series |url=https://www.kxan.com/sports/astros-and-rangers-headed-to-alcs-first-ever-postseason-series/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013025752/https://www.kxan.com/sports/astros-and-rangers-headed-to-alcs-first-ever-postseason-series/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 13, 2023 |access-date=January 16, 2024 |website=KXAN Austin |language=en-US }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 Rangers-Astros ALCS latest intrastate postseason matchup |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/playoff-series-between-mlb-teams-in-same-state |access-date=January 16, 2024 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>

====Seattle Mariners====
Fairly recently, the Astros have grown an increasingly competitive rivalry with the [[Seattle Mariners]] as both teams have fought handily for control of the division. The resurgence of the Mariners to playoff contention in the early 2020s has fueled the rivalry in competition as the Mariners have often finished within 5 games of the Astros in the division for the past three seasons. The 2022 season saw the Mariners return to playoff success, winning their first series since 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball/history/seattle-mariners-make-history-in-win-over-houston-astros-on-saturday|title=Seattle Mariners Make History in Win Over Houston Astros on Saturday|date=May 7, 2023 }}</ref> The Mariners and Astros were set to face off in the ALDS, but Houston would go on to win the series in a 0–3 sweep. Despite the lone playoff meeting, both teams have grown a recent history of hitting one another with pitches, and even instigating multiple brawls between players.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.mynorthwest.com/1756091/benches-clear-again-more-bad-blood-between-mariners-astros/|title=Benches Clear Again: More bad blood between Mariners, Astros?|date=May 7, 2023 }}</ref> The series was very lopsided in favor of the Astros for multiple decades as Houston leads the all-time regular season series 119–73, including a 3–0 lead in the postseason.

===American League===
====New York Yankees====
The rivalry between the Astros and the [[New York Yankees]] emerged in the mid-2010s after the Astros moved to the American League and eventually ascended to title contenders. The two teams have met in four postseason rounds, all of which were won by Houston. However, like the Astros' rivalry with the Dodgers, animosity grew immediately after the Astros were revealed to have stolen signs during their 2017 championship season, as well as the Yankees' inability to overcome Houston in the playoffs despite fielding equally strong rosters.<ref name=AstrosYankeesplayoffs>{{cite web | url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/yankees-astros-rivalry-history-of-playoff-meetings-bad-blood-as-two-sides-meet-again-in-2022-alcs/ | title=Yankees-Astros rivalry: History of playoff meetings, bad blood as two sides meet again in 2022 ALCS|access-date=April 13, 2023|website=CBSSports.com| date=October 19, 2022}}</ref> Both teams are tied all-time with 43 wins apiece, but the Astros own a 13–5 postseason record.

===National League===
====Los Angeles Dodgers====
{{main|Astros–Dodgers rivalry}}
The series between the Astros and the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] had initially begun as a divisional matchup but following Houston's realignment to the American League, the rivalry regained intensity as the two teams played one another in the [[2017 World Series]] in which the Astros controversially won the championship in 7 games. Animosity was quick to grow further after the Astros' widely publicized [[Houston Astros sign stealing scandal|sign stealing scandal]] had drawn negative attention to the organization after it was revealed the team had utilized a complex system to steal pitch signs, particularly during the 2017 World Series. As a result of the scandal, hostility grew immensely between the two teams and their fans.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/dodgers-vs-astros-three-things-to-know-as-la-and-houston-rekindle-rivalry-at-dodger-stadium/|title=Dodgers vs. Astros: Three things to know as L.A. and Houston rekindle rivalry at Dodger Stadium|date=September 12, 2020 }}</ref> The Dodgers lead the all-time series 400–334, both teams are tied in postseason wins 6-6.