The debate over how many World Series have Houston Astros won usually starts in a sports bar and ends in a heated argument about trash cans and buzzers. If you are just looking for the raw number, the history books are clear. The Houston Astros have won two World Series titles. They took home the trophy in 2017 and again in 2022.
But numbers don't tell the whole story. To really understand the weight of those two rings, you have to look at the decades of heartbreak that came before them and the massive scandal that tried to overshadow them. The Astros aren't just a team with two trophies; they are a franchise that basically redefined how to build—and break—a winning machine.
The Long Road to 2017
For most of their existence, the Astros were the lovable losers of the National League. Founded in 1962 as the Colt .45s, they spent years wandering the desert. They had legends like Nolan Ryan and the "Killer B’s" (Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio), but the big one always stayed just out of reach.
By the early 2010s, the team was abysmal. We are talking three straight seasons of 100+ losses. It was a "tanking" masterclass that would make a Silicon Valley disruptor blush. Then came the 2014 Sports Illustrated cover. You know the one—the magazine boldly predicted the 2017 Houston Astros would be World Series champions while the team was still losing 90 games a year. Everyone laughed.
Honestly, nobody’s laughing now.
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In 2017, it all clicked. Jose Altuve was an MVP. George Springer was hitting everything in sight. They faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in an absolute slugfest of a series. Game 5 alone felt like it lasted three days and aged every fan in Houston by five years. When they finally clinched it in Game 7, it felt like the ultimate "I told you so." Houston, a city reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, finally had its first title.
The Asterisk and the Fallout
Then the roof fell in.
In late 2019, Mike Fiers—a former Astros pitcher—went on the record with The Athletic. He spilled everything about a center-field camera, a hallway monitor, and the now-infamous banging on a trash can to signal off-speed pitches. The 2017 title was suddenly under fire. Fans across the country didn't just want an explanation; they wanted the trophy returned.
Major League Baseball’s investigation confirmed the scheme. The fallout was massive:
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- GM Jeff Luhnow and Manager A.J. Hinch were suspended and subsequently fired.
- The team was fined $5 million (the maximum allowed).
- They lost multiple first and second-round draft picks.
- Carlos Beltran and Alex Cora, linked to the scheme, lost their managerial jobs elsewhere.
Yet, the title remained. Commissioner Rob Manfred didn't strip the rings, leading to the "Houston Asterisks" nickname that follows the team to every away stadium. It created a "Houston vs. The World" mentality that, weirdly enough, seemed to make them even better.
Redemption in 2022
If 2017 was about the arrival, 2022 was about validation. The Astros were back in the World Series for the fourth time in six years. They had lost in 2019 to the Nationals and in 2021 to the Braves. People were starting to wonder if they could win "clean."
Enter Dusty Baker. The legendary manager was brought in to bring credibility and a steady hand to a franchise that was essentially the villain of professional sports. Behind a historic pitching staff and the emergence of Yordan Alvarez, the Astros took down the Philadelphia Phillies in six games.
When Alvarez hit that 450-foot moonshot in Game 6, it didn't just win a game. It basically silenced the loudest critics. Winning a second title with a mostly different roster and a new coaching staff proved that the organization’s success wasn't just built on a trash can. They were just that good.
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Comparing the Championship Years
| Feature | 2017 World Series | 2022 World Series |
|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Los Angeles Dodgers | Philadelphia Phillies |
| Series Length | 7 Games | 6 Games |
| World Series MVP | George Springer | Jeremy Peña |
| Defining Moment | Winning Game 7 in LA | Yordan Alvarez's Game 6 Home Run |
| Manager | A.J. Hinch | Dusty Baker |
Why the Number Matters
Asking how many World Series have Houston Astros won is a simple question with a complicated answer. Technically, it’s two. But if you talk to a Dodgers fan, they might tell you it's one. If you talk to a die-hard Houstonian, they’ll tell you those two rings represent a decade of dominance that the sport hasn't seen since the 90s Yankees.
The Astros have now reached seven consecutive American League Championship Series (ALCS) as of 2023. That’s a level of consistency that is almost impossible in the modern era of baseball. Whether you love them or hate them—and most people outside of Texas definitely hate them—you can’t argue with the results.
Looking Ahead for Houston Fans
If you're following the team today, here is how you should view their legacy:
- Appreciate the Core: Players like Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman are the bridge between the two titles. They are likely headed for the Hall of Fame, but their plaques will always be part of this complicated narrative.
- The Pitching Factory: The Astros have a knack for finding and developing pitchers (think Framber Valdez or Cristian Javier) that other teams overlook. This is why they stay competitive.
- The Dynasty Debate: To truly be a dynasty, most experts say you need three. With the core still largely intact, the hunt for number three is the only way to truly bury the ghosts of 2017.
If you want to dive deeper into the stats, check out the official MLB historical records or look at the season-by-season breakdowns on Baseball-Reference. The data doesn't lie, even if the fans can't agree on what it means.
To keep track of their progress toward a third title, monitor the AL West standings throughout the summer. The road to the World Series usually runs through Houston, and regardless of the count, they remain the team everyone else has to beat.