Houston’s postseason odds hung by a thread after a 4-3 loss to the Angels, squandering a 3-0 lead as Trout delivered a two-homer night and a late eighth-inning go-ahead that tightened the playoff squeeze. Houston needs two wins and losses by Cleveland or Detroit in the final two to sniff the postseason. Early Detroit and Cleveland results helped, but Houston’s bullpen and timely Angels hits kept the Astros on the brink, with Peña’s oblique issue adding another layer of concern.

Astros push toward a ninth straight playoff berth with three games left, needing wins against the Angels and a bit of help elsewhere. Friday pits Jason Alexander against Kyle Hendricks as Houston tightens the race. Framber Valdez delivers a vintage outing in what could be his last start as an Astro, while Jeremy Peña battles an oblique strain and remains a factor at the plate. Final three-game scenarios and broadcast details shape a high-stakes sprint to the postseason.

Kyle Hendricks retires after 12 MLB seasons, closing a throwback chapter for the Cubs and a brief Angels stint. His career centerpiece remains 2016, when he steered a World Series-bound rotation with a masterful changeup and surgical control, including an 81-pitch complete game against St. Louis. The piece envisions a Cubs front-office role for Hendricks rather than coaching, and notes a likely last hurrah vs Houston. Fantasy takeaway: life after Hendricks tightens LHP depth and spotlights young Cubs pitchers and development plans.

Angels’ 3-0 win at Coors Field featured a vintage Germán Márquez seven-inning gem and a late-inning power display from Mike Trout, who crushed his 400th career homer. Taylor Ward and Nolan Schanuel provided the solo shots to back Kyle Hendricks, who stifled Colorado’s bats en route to a seven-inning gem. Rockies offense stalled most of the night, with a danger-filled but ultimately squandered eighth-inning rally, and a potential farewell Coors start for Márquez looming.