New York Yankees vs. Astros Rivalry : Head to Head

by James Idayi
New York Yankees vs. Astros Rivalry : Head to Head

One of baseball’s newest and most exciting rivalries is between two teams that barely played each other just a decade ago. The two teams I’m referring to are the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros; which might have been one of the more unanticipated rivalries to take place in baseball’s modern era.

However, this rivalry has become one of the more fascinating in recent memory, as there are multiple layers to the bad blood on both sides — some of which has been festering for quite some time.

Yankees vs. Astros Head to Head History

Because the Houston Astros only moved to the American League in 2013, the head to history between them and the New York Yankees is relatively brief. That being said, these two teams have played each other a total of 93 games, with the Yankees holding an overall edge in the all-time series, 48-45 (a 51.6% winning percentage).

When it comes to the postseason, however, the Astros hold a 13-5 advantage over the Yankees.

The most recent game between the Yankees and Astros took place on September 3, 2023, when the Yankees defeated the Astros by a score of 6-1.

Both the Yankees and the Astros have amassed a 7 game winning streak against the other team — with the Astros streak occurring on June 30, 2022, and continuing until October 23, 2022. As for the Yankees, their 7 game win streak over Houston started on June 12, 2003, and continued until June 13, 2010.

Yankees vs. Astros Head To Head (Since 2008 Season)

DateWinnerWinner H/A/NScoreRun Line CoverO/U Result
09/03/23NY YankeesAway6-1NY Yankees +1.5Under 8.5
09/02/23NY YankeesAway5-4NY Yankees +1.5Over 8.5
09/01/23NY YankeesAway6-2NY Yankees +1.5Under 8.5
08/06/23HoustonAway9-7Houston +1.5Over 9.5
08/05/23NY YankeesHome3-1NY Yankees +1.5Under 8.5
08/04/23HoustonAway7-3Houston -1.5Over 9.0
08/03/23NY YankeesHome4-3NY Yankees +1.5Under 8.5
10/23/22HoustonAway6-5Houston +1.5Over 6.5
10/22/22HoustonAway5-0Houston +1.5Under 6.5
10/20/22HoustonHome3-2NY Yankees +1.5Under 7.0
10/19/22HoustonHome4-2Houston -1.5Under 7.0
07/21/22HoustonHome7-5Houston -1.5Over 8.0
07/21/22HoustonHome3-2NY Yankees +1.5Under 7.5
06/30/22HoustonHome2-1Houston +1.5Under 7.5
06/26/22NY YankeesHome6-3NY Yankees -1.5Push
06/25/22HoustonAway3-0Houston +1.5Under 8.0
06/24/22HoustonAway3-1Houston +1.5Under 8.0
06/23/22NY YankeesHome7-6Houston +1.5Over 8.0
07/11/21HoustonHome8-7NY Yankees +1.5Over 8.5
07/10/21NY YankeesAway1-0Houston +1.5Under 8.0
07/09/21NY YankeesAway4-0NY Yankees +1.5Under 9.0
05/06/21HoustonAway7-4Houston +1.5Over 7.5
05/05/21NY YankeesHome6-3NY Yankees -1.5Under 9.5
05/04/21NY YankeesHome7-3NY Yankees -1.5Over 8.5
10/19/19HoustonHome6-4Houston -1.5Over 8.5
10/18/19NY YankeesHome4-1NY Yankees +1.5Under 7.5
10/17/19HoustonAway8-3Houston +1.5Over 9.0
10/15/19HoustonAway4-1Houston -1.5Under 7.5
10/13/19HoustonHome3-2NY Yankees +1.5Under 7.5
10/12/19NY YankeesAway7-0NY Yankees +1.5Under 9.0
06/23/19HoustonAway9-4Houston -1.5Over 10.0
06/22/19NY YankeesHome7-5NY Yankees -1.5Over 10.0
06/21/19NY YankeesHome4-1NY Yankees -1.5Under 9.5
06/20/19NY YankeesHome10-6NY Yankees -1.5Over 10.0
04/10/19HoustonHome8-6Houston -1.5Over 8.5
04/09/19HoustonHome6-3Houston -1.5Over 8.0
04/08/19HoustonHome4-3NY Yankees +1.5Under 8.0
05/30/18NY YankeesHome5-3NY Yankees -1.5Push
05/29/18NY YankeesHome6-5NY Yankees +1.5Over 9.0
05/28/18HoustonAway5-1Houston -1.5Under 8.5
05/03/18NY YankeesAway6-5NY Yankees +1.5Over 8.0
05/02/18NY YankeesAway4-0NY Yankees -1.5Under 8.0
05/01/18NY YankeesAway4-0NY Yankees +1.5Under 8.0
04/30/18HoustonHome2-1NY Yankees +1.5Under 8.5
10/21/17HoustonHome4-0Houston -1.5Under 8.0
10/20/17HoustonHome7-1Houston -1.5Over 7.5
10/18/17NY YankeesHome5-0NY Yankees +1.5Under 8.0
10/17/17NY YankeesHome6-4NY Yankees -1.5Over 8.5
10/16/17NY YankeesHome8-1NY Yankees -1.5Over 8.5
10/14/17HoustonHome2-1NY Yankees +1.5Under 7.5
10/13/17HoustonHome2-1NY Yankees +1.5Under 8.0
07/02/17HoustonHome8-1Houston -1.5Over 8.5
07/01/17HoustonHome7-6NY Yankees +1.5Over 9.5
06/30/17NY YankeesAway13-4NY Yankees +1.5Over 8.0
05/14/17HoustonAway10-7Houston +1.5Over 8.5
05/14/17NY YankeesHome11-6NY Yankees -1.5Over 9.0
05/12/17HoustonAway5-1Houston -1.5Under 8.0
05/11/17HoustonAway3-2Houston +1.5Under 7.5
07/27/16HoustonHome4-1Houston -1.5Under 7.0
07/26/16NY YankeesAway6-3NY Yankees +1.5Over 8.5
07/25/16NY YankeesAway2-1NY Yankees +1.5Under 7.0
04/07/16NY YankeesHome8-5NY Yankees -1.5Over 8.5
04/06/16NY YankeesHome16-6NY Yankees -1.5Over 7.5
04/05/16HoustonAway5-3Houston -1.5Over 6.5
10/06/15HoustonAway3-0Houston -1.5Under 7.0
08/26/15HoustonAway6-2Houston +1.5Over 7.5
08/25/15HoustonAway15-1Houston -1.5Over 7.5
08/24/15NY YankeesHome1-0Houston +1.5Under 8.0
06/28/15HoustonHome3-1Houston +1.5Under 7.5
06/27/15NY YankeesAway9-6NY Yankees -1.5Over 7.5
06/26/15NY YankeesAway3-2NY Yankees +1.5Under 8.5
06/25/15HoustonHome4-0Houston -1.5Under 7.5
08/21/14NY YankeesHome3-0NY Yankees -1.5Under 7.5
08/20/14HoustonAway5-2Houston +1.5Under 8.5
08/19/14HoustonAway7-4Houston +1.5Over 8.5
04/03/14NY YankeesAway4-2NY Yankees -1.5Under 8.0
04/02/14HoustonHome3-1Houston +1.5Under 8.5
04/01/14HoustonHome6-2Houston +1.5Under 8.5
09/29/13NY YankeesAway5-1NY Yankees -1.5Under 8.5
09/28/13NY YankeesAway2-1Houston +1.5Under 8.5
09/27/13NY YankeesAway3-2Houston +1.5Under 8.0
05/01/13NY YankeesHome5-4Houston +1.5Over 8.5
04/30/13NY YankeesHome7-4NY Yankees -1.5Over 8.0
04/29/13HoustonAway9-1Houston +1.5Over 7.5
06/13/10NY YankeesHome9-5NY Yankees -1.5Over 9.0
06/12/10NY YankeesHome9-3NY Yankees -1.5Over 9.0
06/11/10NY YankeesHome4-3Houston +1.5Under 8.5
06/15/08NY YankeesAway13-0NY Yankees -1.5Over 8.5
06/14/08NY YankeesAway8-4NY Yankees -1.5Over 9.5
06/13/08NY YankeesAway2-1Houston +1.5Under 9.5

Yankees vs. Astros Rivalry Background

There is a lot behind the rivalry between the Yankees and the Astros. Although the ill sentiment may have started when the Yankees signed Hall of Fame pitcher Roger Clemens away from the Astros, at the end of his career. The Yankees have also signed Astros star players such as Lance Berkman and Gerrit Cole away from Houston in the past two decades.

However, the main reason behind this rivalry is that, since the Astros joined the American League in 2013, these two teams have played each other in the postseason a total of 4 times — with the Astros winning all 4 series.

Yet, it isn’t just due to the fact that the Astros have owned the postseason that has Yankees fans upset. The more pressing issue between these teams is what took place during their matchup in the 2017 American League Championship Series. While the Astros won the series in 6 games, they were later caught cheating during the series, using an elaborate method of sign-stealing via outfield camera feeds and verbal cues in the dugout in order to discern what pitches the Yankees were throwing to them.

Many people believe that if the Astros hadn’t been stealing signs during the series (and also during the World Series afterwards, which the Astros won), the Yankees would have won the AL pennant instead of them. Of course, we have no way of knowing whether that is truly the case.

Another interesting note about this rivalry is that the Astros are the only team to have produced two no-hitters against the Yankees. They’re also the only team in MLB history to have beaten the Yankees in a postseason series four times; with the most recent coming in 2022, during the American League Championship Series.

Yankees vs. Astros 2022 AL Championship Series

The Astros and Yankees entered the 2022 ALCS being the top two seeds in the American League. Because the Astros had the better regular season record, they were the top seed, and therefore had home field advantage throughout the series — which ended up not lasting too long.

Game 1 of the series took place in Houston, with Astros ace Justin Verlander toeing the rubber for the home team. Neither team scored in the first inning, then both teams scored 1 run each in the second; the Yankees’ having come from a solo home run by Harrison Bader. Neither team scored again until the bottom of the sixth inning, when the Astros put 2 runs on the board, due to 2 solo home runs from Yuli Gurriel and Chas McCormick, respectively.

From there, the Astros tacked on another run in the seventh inning, making the score 4-1. While the Yankees added a run of their own in the eighth, it wasn’t enough to defeat Houston, who won the game 4-2.

Game 2 took place one day later, also in Houston. Neither team scored any runs in the game’s first two innings, then Astros’ Alex Bregman broke the tie with a two-out, three-run home run again the Yankees starting pitcher, Luis Severino. The Yankees responded in the top of the fourth inning with 2 runs of their own, making the score 3-2 in favor of the Astros. However, pitching became the dominant factor in the game, as neither team scored any more runs throughout the game and the Astros won Game 2 3-2, and took a 2-0 lead in the series.

Game 3 took place in New York, and was all Astros from start to finish. The Yankees only tallied 3 hits and scored 0 runs all game, and with the Astros having scored 5 runs throughout the game (2 scored in the second inning, and 3 scored in the sixth), they were able to cruise to a 5-0 Game 3 victory, and take a commanding lead in the ALCS.

Game 4 took place one day later, once again in New York. While the Yankees got off to a hot start in the game, scoring 3 runs in the first two innings, the Astros then responded with a 4 run third inning, which was owed largely to a 3-run home run from Jeremy Pena. The Yankees responded with 1 run in the fourth, tying the score at 4-4. The Yankees then added 1 more run in the sixth inning, off of a Harrison Bader solo home run. But then the Astros scored 2 runs in the seventh inning, due to series of singles, which made the score 6-5 in favor of Houston. The Yankees proved unable to muster a comeback, and ultimately lost the game by that same score, thus getting swept in the ALCS and sending the Houston Astros to the 2022 World Series.

Yankees vs. Astros 2024 Rivalry Analysis

The Astros deserve a ton of credit for refusing to be intimidated by New York ever since moving to the American League. In fact, it’s the Yankees who should be intimidated by Houston, as they’ve never defeated them in a postseason series.

Both Houston and New York should be top-tier AL teams in 2024 — which could mean that we’ll see them square off in the postseason once more. Yet, for Yankees fans, they would likely prefer to play any other team than the Astros.

James Idayi
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