Astros Take AL West Run Differential Lead After Mariners' 22-0 Blowout
Seattle's lopsided loss reshuffles the AL West run differential standings, with Houston now sitting atop the division in that metric.

The Seattle Mariners were shut out 22-0, a result that shifted the AL West run differential lead to the Houston Astros. Run differential is a commonly used indicator of true team strength and can inform projected win totals. The Astros have not dramatically changed their own performance but benefit from Seattle's historically poor result. This development may be relevant context for divisional outlook models.
More on the Astros wire.

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