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Astros stumble out of October as injuries and inconsistency take toll

Even with Framber Valdez’s September meltdown and a forgettable mid-August stretch in which they were outscored by Baltimore and Detroit 41–8, the Houston Astros managed to remain in the playoff picture until the curtain dropped this past weekend.

Seattle surged past them at the right time. Cal Raleigh’s bat carried the Mariners, and their bullpen closed the door with Andres Muñoz anchoring the ninth inning. For Houston, the contrast was hard to miss. Josh Hader was supposed to give them the ultimate late-game weapon when they committed $95 million to him last winter. Instead, he finished tied for 11th in the majors with 28 saves, a figure that underscored just how uneven the Astros’ season be

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