Dogged by criticism that they could not win without sign-stealing, Houston beat the Philadelphia Phillies in six games to complete a nearly perfect postseason.
Jose Altuve, Yuli Gurriel and Alex Bregman have reached the A.L.C.S. in six straight seasons. Through triumph and scandal, they have taught a rotating cast of teammates how to win.
The gap between the American League’s two best teams proved awfully wide, with Houston heading to the World Series as the Yankees wonder what went wrong.