Just when you thought you were finally rid of the Houston Astros…they find themselves one win away from yet another American League pennant.

That’s right, the Astros, a team that is playing in its seventh-straight American Championship Series, is now poised to punch its ticket to the World Series for the fifth time since 2017 thanks to a dramatic turn of events at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Friday night.

Trailing the Rangers, 4-2, in the top of the ninth inning, Jose Altuve smacked a three-run home run to put the visitors ahead to stay.

Texas, the fifth seed in the American League, opened the postseason by sweeping the Rays in the wildcard round and then the Orioles in the American League Division Series, continued its hot streak in the ALCS by taking the first two games at Minute Maid Park.

What team could rebound after losing the first two games at home in the ALCS? Only one with the heart of a champion. That’s the Astros, who won Games 3 and 4 in rather convincing fashion before ripping the collective heart out of the Rangers on Friday night.

And that’s what it feels like, right? The Rangers don’t have the postseason experience that Houston does, and it’s doubtful they’ll be able to go on the road once more and win two more games at Minute Maid Park. Nope, Texas had its chance, and now it looks like the Astros will be going for their second-straight World Series title and third since 2017.

The Astros, of course, are baseball’s version of the Patriots, thanks to a cheating scandal that tainted their championship in 2017. But that was a lifetime ago in baseball years, and it’s hard to deny the dynasty they appear to be on the verge of securing following many seasons of either being next year’s champions or simply irrelevant in the baseball world.

Many people had expressed concern that baseball’s expanded playoff format would water down the field and crown unworthy World Series champions. Yet, here we are, two years into it, and Houston, who has earned a bye into the division series each time, is on the brink of another pennant.

Professional sports leagues have been expanding their postseason fields forever, but more often than not, the teams that have performed the best during the regular season seem to be the ones who win the whole thing in the end.

Speaking of the end, the Rangers had a chance to put an end to Houston’s reign, but it doesn’t look like the defending champion is ready to relinquish its throne.

Yes, the Astros are about to be crowned baseball kings of the Lone Star State and are again favorites to keep their crown as kings of the baseball world.