MLB insider's Astros update is the last thing Mariners fans wanted to hear

After a decade of the Astros dominating the AL West, the Mariners finally seemed set to take over as top dog after last season, thanks to winning their first division title since 2001. However, things are not going quite to plan so far in 2026. As a result, the Astros have indicated they're not giving up anytime soon, and the M's only have themselves to blame.

As per Bob Nighthengale of USA Today, the Astros have told teams they're wasting their time asking about shortstop Jeremy Peña and first baseman Christian Walker. The plan is for them to be buyers at the deadline, not sellers. At first glance this might seem somewhat surprising, considering we're talking about a team which is 37-43, fourth in the AL West and tied for the second-worst run differential in the AL.

Now a big part of the reason for this mindset understandably comes from seven division titles, nine playoff appearances, four World Series berths and two championships between 2015-24. However, it also helps that the Mariners just aren't clicking on all cylinders, with a less than inspiring 40-39 record. The only reason they're even top of the AL West is because, quite frankly, it's the worst division in the majors.

Not that the Astros will care, with their ongoing mindset to just do whatever it takes to make the playoffs. And with the Mariners struggling to win consistently, they've inadvertently given life to arguably their biggest rivals.

Yordan Alvarez is as hot as ever and the Astros still have reinforcements to come

As poor as the Astros' overall record is this season, they've been putting together a dangerous run which has seen them win 18 of their past 31 games.

Undoubtedly leading the charge for the Astros is a rejuvenated Yordan Alvarez, who has reclaimed his status as one of the elite hitters in the game following an injury-ravaged 2025 campaign. In fact he's hitting better than ever, leading the majors in a host of categories including slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+, rOBA, Rbat+ and total bases. In all honesty, he's probably the AL MVP favorite at this stage.

We appreciate that people will point to the ridiculous number of injuries which have hit the Mariners this season, with the likes of Brendan Donovan, Randy Arozarena and Matt Brash still to return. The inference being that a fully healthy M's team will be a more dangerous proposition for opponents.

However, the Astros have been dealing with plenty of injuries themselves. Hunter Brown and Josh Hader are now back, with more to come, including pitchers Cristian Javier and Ronel Blanco.

Look, we still believe the Mariners are the better overall team. They've had the Astros' number since 2023, and have already won this season's overall head-to-head series with five meetings still remaining.

However, you do worry that the Mariners have already fumbled their best chance to bury their division rivals for good. The Astros are re-energized, helped by the M's lack of a killer instinct, and you can't help wondering if those final five match-ups could still prove to be pivotal, including a two-game set in the second-last series of the regular season.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow