The priority for the Astros in these final 22 regular-season games, even more so than securing home-field advantage over the Yankees and Dodgers, is to survive without more scenes like Tuesday night’s in Milwaukee, where they had one of their most valuable players exit a game because of an injury.



That the team termed George Springer’s status day to day and let him fly back to Houston after the game suggests the leadoff-hitting center fielder avoided the type of head injury that would impact his October availability. But his nasty collision with the wall after an awkward, acrobatic catch served as a reminder that health will determine how far the Astros advance in the postseason much more so than having a fourth home game in a seven-game ALCS or World Series will.



As the season winds down, the Astros find themselves in prime position. They are one of the sport’s three super powers, have arguably the two best starting pitchers in their league and can...