The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros are members of the American League (AL) West division in Major League Baseball (MLB), having moved to the division in 2013 after spending their first 51 seasons in the National League (NL). The Astros have played their home games at Minute Maid Park since 2000.
The Astros were established as the Houston Colt .45s and entered the National League in 1962 with the expansion New York Mets. The current name was adopted three years later, when they moved into theAstrodome, the world's first domed sports stadium. The team's nickname reflects Houston's role as the control center of the U.S. space program.
The Astros played in the NL from 1962 to 2012. They played in the West division from 1969 to 1993, and the Central division from 1994 to 2012.
The Astros have played in one World Series (while a member of the National League) in 2005 against the Chicago White Sox, in which they were swept in four games.