In his comeback after two lost seasons, Houston’s Verlander emphasized quality over quantity. Miami’s Alcantara, meanwhile, looked like the Verlander of yesteryear.
Jeremy Peña had big shoes to fill when Carlos Correa left the Houston Astros. Peña responded by being the first rookie position player to be named World Series M.V.P.
A team that came out of nowhere to reach the World Series is doing its best to focus on a promising future rather than a disappointing present. “We should definitely be proud.”
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.