If it is October, you already know what is happening at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. The Houston Astros is gearing up for another Major League Baseball Postseason run that hopefully will land them in a spot where they feel they have some unfinished business.

The 2022 World Series.

Houston will face their American League West divisional rivals, the Seattle Mariners, in the ALDS that will begin on Tuesday at Minute Maid Park. The two teams have faced each other 19 times during the regular season, with the Astros winning 12 of those matchups, including the last six of the seven matchups between the two clubs. Overall, Houston owns a 71-34 record over the Mariners since the 2017 season and has dominated them at home by going 39-17.

Astros manager Dusty Baker is well aware of the team’s success against Seattle, but he has been around the game long enough to know not to take any opponent lightly. Especially one he has kept an eye on over this past season.

Although Houston finished the 2022 season with a 106-56 record and won the AL West by 16 games over Seattle, the Mariners are very scrappy and defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto in the AL Wildcard series 2-0. They made the postseason for the first time since 2001.

Mariners manager Scott Servais is well aware of the team that his ballclub has been looking up at in the standings since 2017 and knows that the Astros have a veteran-led ballclub that presents a problem for most teams with their pitching and hitting.

Still, he is fully confident in his team’s ability to compete.

“We’ve played some crazy games down there,” Servais said after their series win over the Blue Jays. “They’ve had our number for a few years. We played a little bit better at times this year. They’re really good. We understand that. We are really good. We respect everybody in the game. I know I certainly do. I know how hard this is. But our club fears no one. I truly believe that.”

Dusty Baker also echoed those sentiments when talking about the Mariners.

“When they (Seattle) were under .500 earlier in the season, everyone was concerned and I told them that they were going to be here (MLB Postseason),” said Baker. “I know they have talent, and it is a long race. They are the same good and well-motivated team they were before. They know us pretty well and we know them pretty well. It is going to be a great series.”

[Editor Update] The Houston Astros beat the Seattle Mariners with a walk-off victory on Tuesday in Game 1 of their American League Division Series. The Astros entered the ninth down by two runs, but prevailed when Yordan Alvarez hit a three-run shot. Final score: 7-8 Astros