The Houston Astros can make the playoffs by winning all their remaining games against the Los Angeles Angels and relying on favorable outcomes in games involving the Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Guardians, and Boston Red Sox. Specifically, the Astros need to finish with a better record than at least one of these teams since they do not hold tiebreakers against them. Key scenarios include:

• Astros winning all remaining games and the Red Sox losing all games to the Tigers.
• If the Tigers lose two out of three games against the Red Sox and the Astros win all their games.
• If the Guardians win only one of their remaining three games against the Texas Rangers while the Astros sweep the Angels.
• If both the Tigers and Guardians are swept, the Astros would only need to win two out of three games against the Angels.

The Astros are currently one game behind the Tigers for the final American League Wild Card spot, so a combination of Astros wins and losses by Tigers, Guardians, or Red Sox is necessary for Houston to reach the postseason.