MLB1 hour ago2 minute read

Empty Seats and Fan Boos Greet Astros in Playoff Opening Defeat

The Houston Astros suffered a 6-3 playoff loss to the Chicago White Sox in front of a sparse, frustrated home crowd.

The EagleEyeOdds deskWritten from the match data, checked against our model before it goes out

A Cold Welcome at Daikin Park

The Houston Astros opened their wild card series on Tuesday with a disappointing 6-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox. It was not just the score that hurt. The atmosphere inside Daikin Park was unusually quiet, with large areas of empty seats visible when the game started at 4:10 p.m.

The stadium has a capacity of 40,963, but the announced attendance was only 34,011. While the lower levels had decent crowds, the upper deck was mostly empty. This is a rare sight for a franchise that is used to packed houses during the postseason.

Players Frustrated by Home Crowd Boos

The fans who did show up quickly turned on the home team. Boos echoed through the stadium in the first and second innings as Houston fell behind 3-0. Reliever Bennett Sousa also faced boos after throwing two bad breaking pitches in the seventh inning.

First baseman Christian Walker did not hide his disappointment. Walker said that playing at home means they need energy and cheers, not boos. He added that the team worked hard all season to get here, making the negative reaction highly frustrating.

Sousa echoed that sentiment. He stated that the team has put a lot on the line to give the fans a postseason, and they want their support.

Historical Playoff Attendance Struggles

Low attendance for afternoon postseason games is a growing trend in baseball. Last year, a game between Cleveland and Detroit drew just over 26,000 fans. In 2023, Tampa Bay drew fewer than 20,000 fans for an afternoon wild card game.

Houston made the playoffs this year with an 81-81 record, becoming the first division winner to finish without a winning record in a full season. Despite an injury-filled year, the Astros secured their ninth postseason appearance in ten years.

What it means for the next game

Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros (MLB, Wed, 30 Sep): Houston Astros win 53%, Chicago White Sox win 47%; projected score Houston Astros 4, Chicago White Sox 4. Our safest pick: White Sox +3.5.

Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros (MLB, Thu, 01 Oct): Houston Astros win 44%, Chicago White Sox win 56%; projected score Houston Astros 4, Chicago White Sox 5. Our safest pick: Astros +2.5.