Houston Astros

The Houston Astros are back in the ALCS for the second year in a row ... but they're celebrating like it's their first time -- drenching their locker room with TONS of beer and champagne!!

The 'stros just finished off their sweep of the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS with an 11-3 win on Monday ... and Jose Altuve & Co. made themselves right at home in the visitor's locker room at Progressive Field.

What's more incredible than their blowout win over the Tribe -- the amount of booze that is flying through the air at one time.

Justin Verlander's World Series ring nearly came with a $1 MILLION price tag ... 'cause an L.A. restaurant (jokingly) hit him with a HUGE "Dodger Killer" fee!!

The Astros ace -- who crushed L.A. in the World Series last year -- was dining at The Cabana Cafe in Bev Hills when, to his surprise, THE BILL CAME OUT TO OVER A MILLION DOLLARS!!

As Verlander read over the receipt, though ... it became clear to him, he just got punk'd.

"Beverly Hills Hotel really making me pay for that World Series win 😂😂," Verlander said of the massive charge.

"Thanks for the great lunch as always!"

As for why Verlander's grubbin' in L.A. this weekend ... he's in town for a series with the Angels.

So, rest easy, Dodgers fans ... for now.

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson had a great day at Minute Maid Park ... rubbing elbows with some huge stars -- from Aaron Judge to CC Sabathia ... even Reggie Jackson!

Deshaun was a special VIP guest of the Houston Astros before they took on the New York Yankees -- and FOX 26's Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) was right there on the field as Watson came face-to-face with the MLB greats.

By the way, Watson is no small dude -- he's 6'2", 215 pounds and looks TINY next to 6'7", 285-pound Judge!

Watson got his own custom jersey and even got to hang with the team during batting practice.

Ted Cruz says it's awesome his hometown Astros (mostly) said what's up to Trump at the White House ... and he's got faith the Rockets will, too.

We got the Texas Senator after he took in Monday's World Series ceremony in D.C. -- and you can tell he was still PUMPED off his 'Stros winning their first title.

"To win it in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, when so many Houstonians, so many Texans, were hurting -- it just meant an enormous amount," Cruz told TMZ Sports.

It was all pretty touching stuff from Ted ... that is 'til the conversation turned to the defending champion, Warriors -- who staunchly rejected their Oval Office visit.

"I think it is unfortunate that we've seen that happen ... I'm hoping that this is the first of at least two Houston trips to the White House this year."

Guessing he hasn't seen James Harden's hat ...

Who needs Tom Brady ... when you got Justin Verlander!!

Donald Trump just gushed about his friendship with a World Series champ during the Houston Astros visit to the White House ... while also dropping some humble brags about himself (duh).

"So, I know Justin. Justin's a friend of mine," Trump said while noting they play golf together.

"I'm a pretty long hitter," Trump bragged ... "[but] this guy, he is a monster!"

"And he said he's a -2 or a -3 handicap, but believe me, he's much better than that. He's about a +2 or +3. but we love playing and it was really great."

Trump also had some words for Jose Altuve ("you're taller than I thought!") and World Series MVP George Springer before reminding everyone he also played in high school!

He also assured the team the country's doing "fantastically well" under his leadership.

Good news for the Philadelphia Eagles ... they're getting FAT ASS league-issued playoff bonus checks for winning the Super Bowl.

Bad news ... it's WAYYY less than what the Houston Astros got for winning the World Series.

Here's the math ... each Eagles player gets $28k for the Divisional round game, $51k for the NFC Championship and $112k for winning the Super Bowl.

Grand bonus total -- $191,000.

Not a bad haul (in addition to whatever playoff bonuses individual players have in their contracts with the team).

So, how does it stack up to playoff bonuses in other sports?

The Houston Astros got $438k per player in league-issued bonus money after their 2017 playoff run.

Obviously, MLB teams have less players on the roster to play -- but let's take a look at the ratings.

The Super Bowl reportedly drew in 103.4 million viewers.

The World Series averaged 18.9 million viewers per game -- but it went SEVEN GAMES!

And don't forget, before the WS the Astros played a 7-game ALCS with the Yankees. Game 7 reportedly drew 9.9 million viewers.

As for the NFL, the players agreed to the bonus structure in the collective bargaining agreement -- and the bonus goes up every year.

So is anyone gonna complain? Probably not. Enjoy the paycheck that most people don't make in a year!

GOP House Whip Steve Scalise's competitive juices are rivaling those of Astros superstar Jose Altuve ... vowing to return as the Congressional second baseman after surviving a bullet.

We got the congressman at Reagan National Airport in D.C. and asked how his recovery's coming along. You'll recall Scalise and the Congressional Baseball Team came under attack in June after James T. Hodgkinson fired as many as 50 rounds with an automatic rifle.

It's Take 2 on one of the best sports questions ever ...

Which is better -- winning the World Series or honeymooning with Kate Upton??

We got to ask the one guy who would know the answer -- Justin Verlander -- as the Houston Astros pitcher was leaving Craig's Tuesday night with his supermodel bride.

Verlander successfully dodged the question when it was posed on Twitter a few days ago -- even after Kate doubled down and asked Verlander to give an answer!!

So, what happened this time around? Well, let's just say he'd rather talk about Jose Altuve ...

Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel has proof that a good time can cost you ... he tells TMZ Sports that the walking boot on his foot is a result of the raucous Astros victory parade.

We got DK leaving Catch LA and asked him what's with the new footwear, since we weren't aware of any injuries he got during the World Series.

That's when Keuchel told us ... he actually hurt his paw after he slipped during the festivities celebrating the Astros first ever MLB championship.

The World Series bonus checks are in ... and the Houston Astros are coming up BIG!!!!

Here's how it works ... each team in the MLB playoffs gets a bonus check based on how far they advanced. The bonus money is pooled from gate receipts from the playoff games.

The big winner -- the Houston Astros ... with each player getting a $438,901.57 bonus check!!!!

According to MLB, it's the largest bonus ever paid out. The previous record was held by the 2014 SF Giants, which paid players $392k each.

But don't feel too sorry for the L.A. Dodgers ... even though they lost the World Series, each player still made out with $259,722.14.

Here's how the rest of the bonuses paid out:

NY Yankees -- $138k
Chicago Cubs -- $133k

AZ Diamondbacks -- $40k
Boston Red Sox --$36k

Cleveland Indians -- $36k
Washington Nationals -- $36k

Colorado Rockies -- $18k
Minnesota Twins -- $18k

It pays to be good.

Making custom grillz for the whole Astros roster wasn't good enough for Paul Wall ... 'cause he just commemorated the team's first World Series with a HUGE back tattoo!!

Wall rolled through G6 Tattoo Studios in Houston for the fresh ink -- which he showed off on Wednesday with his "World Series Grillz" track bumpin' in the background.

The H-Town MC's got several tats reppin' his civic pride -- but this one's probably the most epic.

Speaking of those grillz ... the 'Stros came through Wall and Johnny Dang's shop recently to get 'em molded -- and word is they're ready for pickup!

Yu Darvish is opening up on his World Series nightmare -- telling TMZ Sports he feels terrible for blowing his big moment.

"Dodger fans ... they expect we won the World Series. I couldn't do it. I still feel sorry," Darvish told us out in Beverly Grove.

Darvish -- who couldn't have been nicer to our photog -- says he gave everything he had to try and win ... but just came up short. Sucks, but Darvish told us he's soldiering on.

The big question -- will Darvish (a free agent) re-sign with L.A.??

We asked ... and he definitely didn't rule it out.

BONUS: We also got Joe Buck -- who called the game for FOX -- and he told us why L.A. fans should back off that ledge ... it's gonna be okay.

David Ortiz believes the Dodgers will be just fine next season as long as they take one solid piece of advice -- "Just hit the damn baseball."

Big Papi was leaving L.A. after covering the World Series for FOX -- and had some real encouraging words for Dodgers fans before his flight out of LAX.

"They'll be fine next year. They have a good ball club."

The Houston Astros are getting some serious bling long before their rings arrive -- 'cause Paul Wall says he's hookin' up EVERY PLAYER with a custom gold grill.

The craziest part -- the rapper and his business partner Johnny Dang are trying to get it done BEFORE the World Series parade on Friday!!

We got Wall and Dang after their hometown 'Stros clinched the Series ... and they told TMZ Sports they ain't sparing any expense when it comes to H-Town's MLB champs.

Not only is the entire 40-man roster (and their hot WAGs) getting their own personalized teeth swag -- but each one is coming in 18 karat gold!!

Wall says the players might have to break out the plastic if they want a full mouth of diamonds ... but beyond that, everything's fair game.

Astros third baseman Alex Bregman approves.

Yu Darvish might've cost the Dodgers the World Series, but the city of Los Angeles shouldn't hate the guy -- so says ex-NBA vet Al Harrington.

After Darvish blew his Game 7 start at Dodger Stadium, we asked Harrington if he thought Yu was about to become Public Enemy #1 in L.A. ... and the ex-baller went to bat for the embattled ace.

"My man -- he tried. I'm sure he didn't mean to give up 5 runs," Al told TMZ Sports outside Craig's. "This sh*t happens ... it was just a lot."

That said ... A.H. ain't letting Darvish slide for spoiling an epic night of partying.

The Houston Astros were THIRSTY after lockin' down their first World Series in franchise history -- so pitchers Ken Giles and James Hoyt used the Commissioner's Trophy as a beer luge to help the boys drink up!!

But the locker room celebration was just getting started ... clubhouse vet Brian McCann got in the middle of a dogpile for an epic booze shower -- with the 'Stros poppin' bottles of Limited Edition Championship Brut -- and he loved it.

Series MVP George Springer and third baseman Alex Bregman also got wet -- though Breg seemed a little pissed 'cause he didn't have his goggles on.

But don't get it twisted -- the guys were PUMPED. Also drunk. It was awesome.