AL West
Houston Astros
· Houston
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team in the American League West division.
AL West Rivalry
Astros–Rangers
The Lone Star Series
The Lone Star Series pits Texas's only two MLB franchises against each other, the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers. What began as an interleague novelty became a true division feud once Houston joined the American League West in 2013.
The Rivalry
The clubs share spring exhibition roots dating to the early 1990s, but the rivalry gained real shape with the start of interleague play in 2001, when they began competing each year for the Silver Boot, a cowboy-boot trophy. The rivalry's tectonic shift came in 2013, when Houston moved to the AL West and the two suddenly shared a division. The early division years were lopsided in Texas's favor, but Houston soon built a sustained contender, winning World Series titles in 2017 and 2022. The defining chapter arrived in October 2023, when the in-state rivals met in the AL Championship Series for the first time. Two proud rosters separated by roughly 240 miles, competing in the same division, gives this rivalry its heat.
What's at Stake
With both teams built to contend, every Lone Star Series can swing a division title or a playoff seed. The geographic angle is unmatched: a single state, two big-market fan bases, and a short drive between Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Houston carries two recent championships; Texas answered with its first-ever title in 2023.
Famous Moments
- 2001 — The Astros and Rangers played their first regular-season interleague game.
- 2013 — Houston joined the AL West, turning the rivalry from interleague novelty into a divisional matchup.
- 2023 — The teams met in the ALCS for the first time, the first League Championship Series held entirely within one state.
- 2023 — Texas won ALCS Game 7 in Houston 11-4, with Adolis García driving in five runs to clinch the pennant.
- 2023 — The Rangers went on to win the World Series, the franchise's first championship.
The Two Teams
Plan the Trip
This is a true road-trip rivalry: roughly a half-day's drive links Houston's Daikin Park, a retractable-roof downtown ballpark, with the Rangers' Globe Life Field in Arlington, an air-conditioned venue near Dallas-Fort Worth. Catching a Lone Star Series in both cities lets fans pair big-league baseball with two of Texas's biggest metros and easy interstate travel.
Frequently Asked Questions: Astros–Rangers
The two teams first met in 2001. The Lone Star Series pits Texas's only two MLB franchises against each other, the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers. What began as an interleague novelty became a true division feud once Houston joined the American League West in 2013.
With both teams built to contend, every Lone Star Series can swing a division title or a playoff seed. The geographic angle is unmatched: a single state, two big-market fan bases, and a short drive between Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Houston carries two recent championships; Texas answered with its first-ever title in 2023.
Yes — as AL West division rivals they face off many times across the 2026 MLB season.
Houston Astros host at their home stadium in Houston; Texas Rangers play at Globe Life Field in Arlington.
