On Wednesday's show: We preview the Astros' sixth-straight appearance in the American League Championship Series, once again against the New York Yankees with a trip to the World Series at stake. The two teams also faced off in the ALCS in 2017 and 2019. The first game of the  best-of-seven-game series is tonight at Minute Maid Park.

Also this hour: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

And too often political discourse in America is fixated on the coasts and maybe gives short shrift to the rest of us. That's where a series of public radio election specials called The Middle comes in. We talk with the host, Jeremy Hobson.