1. The Astros nearly had three no-hitters this season, which would have made been an MLB first. Instead, they settled for two, becoming the 18th team to accomplish the feat. Zack Greinke, who previously said throwing a no-hitter would be a “hassle,” got two outs from throwing one against the Mariners during the season’s final week. Justin Verlander no-hit the Blue Jays on Sept. 1, and Aaron Sanchez, Will Harris, Joe Biagini and Chris Devenski combined for the other on Aug. 3 against the Mariners.

2. Astros GM Jeff Luhnow has pulled off some heists in recent years to make this roster a powerhouse without completely draining the farm system. One of the most unheralded moves came back in 2016, when he acquired 19-year-old first baseman/outfielder Yordan Alvarez from the Dodgers for 30-year-old reliever Josh Fields. Alvarez is the likely AL Rookie of the Year after slashing .313/.412/.655 with 27 home runs in 87 games; Fields is currently unemployed. The Astros reportedly tried to sign Alvarez as an international free agent out of Cuba in 2016, but the Dodgers offered more money. Nearly six weeks later, they only had to give up a reliever with a 6.89 ERA to land him. Fields, to pour salt in the wound, gave up two runs to help blow Game 2 of the 2017 World Series — against the Astros.

3. Carlos Correa earned a spot on the “weirdest sports injuries” list in May after an incident that still remains somewhat of a mystery. The All-Star shortstop suffered a broken rib during a massage at his home, he said in a statement at the time, and was sidelined for two months. Correa later returned to the injured list in August for a back injury, and played just three games after being activated before the postseason began.

4. Ryan Pressly is one of the shining examples of how the Astros have turned solid arms into stud pitchers with the help of their analytics department. The Astros acquired the reliever from the Twins last summer and encouraged him to throw more breaking pitches because of his advanced spin rate. In 2019, of pitchers who threw at least 200 curveballs, Pressly’s 3,305 rotations per minute ranked first. The increased usage of the nasty pitch, to pair with a high-90s fastball, has helped him turn into a relief weapon. He has posted a 1.85 ERA, 0.811 WHIP and 6.93 K/BB ratio as an Astro.

5. Astros manager A.J. Hinch’s roommate and teammate at Stanford and best man at his wedding was none other than Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen. The two played their freshman season in 1993, when Hinch’s father passed away. The next day, wearing Hinch’s belt, Van Wagenen hit a grand slam in a win over Fresno State. Van Wagenen later became Hinch’s agent, negotiating the four-year contract extension Hinch signed last August.