Major League Baseball

After World Series, where do Astros rank among best dynasties of last 30 years?

Updated Nov. 6, 2022 4:24 p.m. ET

Since the sign-stealing scandal that tainted their 2017 championship season, the Houston Astros have spent the past five years cementing their place among the league's elite teams.

They've now reached the World Series In four of the last six seasons. On Saturday, for the first time since their controversial run to the Fall Classic six years ago, they waded through the vitriol to finish the job.

This year's Astros group varies considerably from the ignominious champions of five years ago. From manager Dusty Baker to rookie World Series MVP Jeremy Peña to clutch first-time All-Star Yordan Álvarez and postseason pitching stars Cristian Javier and Framber Valdez, the changes up and down the roster since 2017 serve as a reminder of the remarkable job the Astros have done churning their system and restocking talent to remain yearly contenders — even as they're constantly reminded of the blemishes of their past.

This year's championship was the first for Baker, a three-time Manager of the Year and well-respected skipper in his 25th year who helped navigate a maligned franchise through three uncomfortable yet highly productive seasons after the cheating scandal became unearthed.

"The boos and the jeers that we got all over the country, it bothered these guys, but it also motivated them at the same time," said Baker, who was named the Astros' manager in 2020, weeks after manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jim Luhnow were fired following Major League Baseball's sign-stealing findings and suspensions. "It wasn't an ‘us-against-the-world' thing. It was more of a ‘come-together-even-closer' type thing."

In the end, a dynasty was formed — one of the greatest that baseball has seen since the Yankees' unrivaled run of the late 90s. Where does it rank among the foremost six-year stretches of the past 30 years?

Here are six of the best, along with an honorable mention.

Honorable mention: St. Louis Cardinals, 2006-11

Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a single during Game 5 of the 2006 World Series. Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB via Getty Images

‘06: 83-78, 1st in NL Central, Won WS

‘07: 78-84, 3rd in NL Central

‘08: 86-76, 4th in NL Central

‘09: 91-71, 1st in NL Central, Lost NLDS

‘10: 86-76, 2nd in NL Central

‘11: 90-72, 2nd in NL Central, Won WS

Wins: 514

Win %: .529

Divisions Won: Two

Pennants Won: Two

World Series Titles: Two

Manager: Tony La Russa

There's an argument to be made that the Cardinals' six-year run after 2006-11 was better — they made the playoffs five straight years from 2011-15 — but this is the stretch that includes two World Series titles. After two straight 100-win seasons came up short of a championship in 2004 and 2005, St. Louis ended a 24-year drought in a championship season while winning just 83 games in 2006. The Cardinals would win again in 2011, outlasting the Texas Rangers in the World Series after losing the division that year.

6) Atlanta Braves, 1995-00

Atlanta Braves centerfielder Andruw Jones hits a home run during the 1996 World Series. Photo by Timothy Clary/AFP via Getty Images

‘95 - 90-54, 1st in NL East, Won WS

‘96 - 96-66, 1st in NL East, Lost WS

‘97 - 101-61, 1st in NL East, Lost NLCS

‘98 - 106-56, 1st in NL East, Lost NLCS

‘99 - 103-59, 1st in NL East, Lost WS

‘00 - 95-67, 1st in NL East, Lost NLDS

Wins: 591

Win %: .619

Divisions Won: Six

Pennants Won: Three

World Series Titles: One

Manager: Bobby Cox

The Braves of the late ‘90s share a similar story to the Dodgers of the past decade — a noteworthy, sustained stretch of success with little hardware to show for it. The Braves won the World Series in 1995 to claim their first title since moving to Atlanta in 1966. It was their first of 11 straight trips to the postseason, yet that was their only championship during that stretch. They wouldn't be crowned champions again until their improbable 2021 run.

5) Los Angeles Dodgers, 2017-22

Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in Game 6 of the 2020 MLB World Series. Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images

‘17: 104-58, 1st in NL West, Lost WS

‘18: 92-71, 1st in NL West, Lost WS

‘19: 106-56, 1st in NL West, Lost NLDS

‘20*: 43-17, 1st in NL West, Won WS

‘21: 106-56, 2nd in NL West, Lost NLCS

‘22: 111-51, 1st in NL West, Lost NLDS

*60-game season

Wins: 562

Win %: .645

Divisions Won: Five

Pennants Won: Three

World Series Titles: One

Manager: Dave Roberts

The Dodgers' regular-season prowess has been unmatched in recent years. They've won at least 106 games in each of the past three full seasons, set a franchise record with 111 wins this year and have the best six-year regular-season winning percentage of any team on this list. But aside from the truncated 2020 season — their only title in 10 straight trips to the postseason — they've largely fallen short on the grandest stage. Of course, knowing what's been brought to light since, the 2017 run will remain a gigantic "what-if."

4) Boston Red Sox, 2003-08

The Boston Red Sox celebrate after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 to win Game 4 of the 2004 World Series. Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

‘03 - 95-67, 2nd in AL East, Lost ALCS

‘04 - 98-64, 2nd in AL East, Won WS

‘05 - 95-67, 2nd in AL East, Lost ALDS

‘06 - 86-76, 3rd in AL East

‘07 - 96-66, 1st in AL East, Won WS

‘08 - 95-67, 2nd in AL East, Lost ALCS

Wins: 565

Win %: .581

Divisions Won: One

Pennants Won: Two

World Series Titles: Two

Managers: Grady Little, Terry Francona

While the mid-2000s Yankees dominated the division, the Boston Red Sox stood out in October. Those Boston teams will always be remembered for their relentlessness. They overcame a 3-0 deficit in an unforgettable 2004 American League Championship Series against the rival Yankees before sweeping the Cardinals in the World Series. Three years later — the only time the Red Sox won the division in the mid-2000s — they swept the Rockies in the World Series after another stunning comeback, overcoming a 3-1 deficit against Cleveland in the ALCS.

3) Houston Astros, 2017-22

The Houston Astros celebrate after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies to win Game 6 of the 2022 World Series. Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

‘17: 101-61, 1st in AL West, Won WS

‘18: 103-59, 1st in AL West, Lost ALCS

‘19: 107-55, 1st in AL West, Lost WS

‘20*: 29-31, 2nd in AL West, Lost ALCS

‘21: 95-67, 1st in AL West, Lost WS

‘22: 106-56, 1st in AL West, Won WS

*60-game season

Wins: 541

Win %: .622

Divisions Titles: Five

Pennants Won: Four

World Series Titles: Two

Managers: A.J. Hinch, Dusty Baker

The Astros have won at least 100 games in four of the past five full seasons and are the only team on this list to win 100 games and go on to win a World Series twice in a six-year span. Their outstanding pitching depth and combination of regular-season and postseason success puts them in a distinctive category — but so does the cheating scandal. "What happened before, it doesn't pass over completely," Baker said. "But we have turned the page."

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2) San Francisco Giants, 2009-14

Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner of the San Francisco Giants celebrate after winning Game 7 of the 2014 World Series. Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

‘09: 88-74, 3rd in NL West

‘10: 92-70, 1st in NL West, Won WS

‘11: 86-76, 2nd in NL West

‘12: 94-68, 1st in NL West, Won WS

‘13: 76-86, 3rd in NL West

‘14: 88-74, 2nd in NL West, Won WS

Wins: 524

Win %: .539

Divisions Won: Two

Pennants Won: Three

WS Championships: Three

Manager: Bruce Bochy

There's something to be said for finishing the job when presented with the chance. The most opportunistic franchise on this list, the Giants are the only team in the last 30 years other than the Yankees to win at least three World Series titles in a five-year span. They did so despite winning the division only twice in that time. From 2009-14, the Giants had as many third-place finishes as first-place finishes in the division, but they won the World Series in all three trips there.

1) New York Yankees, 1996-01

Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees celebrates in the dugout after Jim Leyrtiz hit a home run during Game 4 of the 1996 World Series.

‘96: 92-70, 1st in AL East, Won WS

‘97: 96-66, 2nd in AL East, Lost ALDS

‘98: 114-48, 1st in AL East, Won WS

‘99: 98-64, 1st in AL East, Won WS

‘00: 87-74, 1st in AL East, Won WS

‘01: 95-65, 1st in AL East, Lost WS

Wins: 582

Win %: .601

Divisions Won: Five

Pennants Won: Five

WS Championships: Four

Manager: Joe Torre

The last true MLB dynasty, no team has won back-to-back World Series since these Yankees — and they won three straight. They're the only team on this list to win five pennants and four World Series in a six-year span, and they'd go on to make the playoffs for 13 straight seasons. Their remarkable 114-win season in 1998 stands out in particular during that stretch — they're the only team ever to win that many games and win a championship in the same year (the 2001 Mariners and 1906 Cubs both won 116 games but neither won the World Series).

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Rowan Kavner covers the Dodgers and NL West for FOX Sports. He previously was the Dodgers’ editor of digital and print publications. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.