Sparse crowd, empty seats greet .500 Astros for wild-card opener vs White Sox

Houston's Daikin Park was notably quiet on Tuesday night as the Astros, baseball's first division winner with a .500 or worse record, faced off against the Chicago White Sox in their Wild Card Series opener. The ballpark's upper deck contained large stretches of empty seats, with many lower deck seats also seemingly vacant. Right-hander AJ Blumbaugh made his pitching debut, delivering the game's first pitch at 4:10 p.m. The Astros' return to the playoffs, despite finishing 81-81, marked a historic first in a non-shortened season.

This is the first time a team has secured postseason entry without a winning record in 2022. The sparse attendance is a rare sight for a ballpark typically packed during the postseason, with the Astros averaging 30,519 fans per game during the regular season, ranking 14th in the majors. Despite injury challenges, Houston reached the playoffs for the ninth time in 10 years.

The franchise has reached the American League Championship Series seven consecutive times since 2017 and has advanced to the World Series four times, claiming championships in 2017 and 2022.