The 1980 Houston Astros season was the 19th season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise in Houston, Texas.
After a late collapse in 1979, the Astros finished in a tie for first place in the National League West with a record of 92–70 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, having lost three in a row in Los Angeles on the final series of the season. The teams played a one-game playoff on October 6 to determine the division champion, which the Astros won, marking the first time in franchise history that the team qualified for the postseason. They went on to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS, losing three games to two.
Offseason
October 26, 1979: Keith Drumright was sent by the Astros to the Kansas City Royals to complete an earlier deal (the Astros sent a player to be named later to the Royals for George Throop) made on April 27, 1979. November 19, 1979: Nolan Ryan was signed as a free agent by the Astros. January 31, 1980: Joe Morgan was signed as a free agent by the Astros. February 21, 1980: Frank Riccelli was released by the Astros.
Regular season
On July 4, pitcher Nolan Ryan recorded the 3,000th strikeout of his career by striking out César Gerónimo of the Cincinnati Reds.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Opening Day starters
Alan Ashby
Enos Cabell
César Cedeño
José Cruz
Art Howe
Joe Morgan
Terry Puhl
Craig Reynolds
J. R. Richard
Roster
Game log
Regular season
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 1 || April 10 || 7:35p.m. CST || Dodgers || W 3–2 || Richard (1–0) || Hooton (0–1) || Sambito (1) || 2:03 || 33,270 || 1–0 || W1 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 2 || April 11 || 7:35p.m. CST || Dodgers || W 10–6 || Smith (1–0) || Stanhouse (0–1) || – || 2:58 || 30,701 || 2–0 || W2 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 3 || April 12 || 3:15p.m. CST || Dodgers || L 5–6 || Howe (1–0) || Smith (1–1) || Hooton (1) || 5:35 || 24,609 || 2–1 || L1 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 4 || April 13 || 2:05p.m. CST || Dodgers || W 4–2 || Forsch (1–0) || Goltz (0–1) || LaCorte (1) || 2:19 || 33,676 || 3–1 || W1 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 5 || April 14 || 7:35p.m. CST || Braves || W 5–4 || Sambito (1–0) || Garber (0–1) || – || 3:15 || 15,017 || 4–1 || W2 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 6 || April 15 || 7:35p.m. CST || Braves || W 6–2 || Niekro (1–0) || McWilliams (0–2) || – || 2:14 || 15,712 || 5–1 || W3 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 7 || April 17 || 3:00p.m. CST || @ Dodgers || L 4–6 || Reuss (1–0) || Smith (1–2) || – || 3:06 || 45,476 || 5–2 || L1 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 8 || April 18 || 9:30p.m. CST || @ Dodgers || W 7–4 || Forsch (2–0) || Goltz (0–2) || Andújar (1) || 3:20 || 41,112 || 6–2 || W1 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 9 || April 19 || 9:00p.m. CST || @ Dodgers || W 2–0 || Richard (2–0) || Welch (0–1) || – || 2:40 || 50,112 || 7–2 || W2 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 10 || April 20 || 3:00p.m. CST || @ Dodgers || L 2–4 || Reuss (2–0) || Niekro (1–1) || – || 2:27 || 39,442 || 7–3 || L1 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 11 || April 21 || 7:35p.m. CST || Reds || L 5–6 || LaCoss (3–0) || Ruhle (0–1) || Hume (3) || 3:09 || 29,067 || 7–4 || L2 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 12 || April 22 || 7:35p.m. CST || Reds || W 8–0 || Ryan (1–0) || Pastore (2–1) || – || 2:45 || 30,094 || 8–4 || W1 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 13 || April 23 || 7:35p.m. CST || Reds || L 2–3 || Hume (2–0) || Andújar (0–1) || Bair (1) || 3:39 || 29,828 || 8–5 || L1 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 14 || April 25 || 7:35p.m. CST || Mets || W 7–4 || Richard (3–0) || Falcone (1–1) || – || 2:52 || 24,140 || 9–5 || W1 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 15 || April 26 || 7:35p.m. CST || Mets || W 6–0 || Niekro (2–1) || Glynn (0–1) || LaCorte (2) || 2:42 || 44,540 || 10–5 || W2 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 16 || April 27 || 2:05p.m. CDT || Mets || W 4–3 || LaCorte (1–0) || Allen (0–3) || – || 3:37 || 20,828 || 11–5 || W3 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 17 || April 29 || 7:05p.m. CDT || @ Reds || W 3–0 || Forsch (3–0) || Leibrandt (1–2) || – || 2:14 || 18,092 || 12–5 || W4 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 18 || April 30 || 7:05p.m. CDT || @ Reds || W 5–1 || Richard (4–0) || Seaver (1–1) || – || 2:21 || 19,821 || 13–5 || W5 |-