When the Houston Astros host the Chicago White Sox this afternoon in Game 1 of the ALDS, they will remain, to many, as one thing: the most hated team in baseball. It’s a stigma the Astros have carried for the past two seasons, ever since the cheating scandal from their 2017 World Series run came to light. But at the same time, the Astros have had a spectacular run of success. They’ve won their division title in four of the last five seasons, and have made the ALCS the past four seasons. This year, they finished with the second best record in the American League. The team’s success has made Astros players defiant in the face of the public backlash. It’s also made them intent on winning another World Series, hoping to rewrite their legacy as something more than just “the team that cheated.” Alden Gonzalez spent time with the Astros, and shares his reporting on their search for vindication in the eyes of the baseball world.

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