The New York Yankees are a baseballing institution. And despite not having put together a World Series win, they have come close on several occasions. The most recent of which came about during the 2017 season when they lost out to the Houston Astros in the ALCS. And if Manager Brian Cashman is to be asked, then that was the year they could have gone on to win it all, it only not for the Astros.

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Rumors have flown along the grapevine regarding the Houston Astros’ 2017 title run. While some have alleged that there were more unscrupulous methods that the Astros were using that year; the Astros remain fixated that they won their pennant the right way. However, if New York Yankees Manager Brian Cashman is to be believed, his conscience is clear of a World Series win because the Yankees only missed out by the narrowest of margins to a team that wasn’t playing the ‘right’ way.

Brian Cashman speaks out about the 2017 New York Yankees

The 2017 New York Yankees were a solid group of players. With hitters like Aaron Judge and Didi Gregorius coming to the party, they seemed to be armed for a deep post-season run. However, their dream run was put to an end by the Houston Astros in the ALCS that year. And Brian Cashman believes that it was wrong so.

Said Cashman, “The only thing that stopped [us] was something that was so illegal and horrific.”

“I get offended when I start hearing we haven’t been to a World Series since ’09,” he added.

Cashman caveated his statement too. The World Series that year was teed up for the LA Dodgers as NLCS Champions; with their expected opposition to come from the New York Yankees in the ALCS. However, after the Astros beat the Yankees in Games 6 and 7 of the Series, it was them that was headed to the World Series instead.

And Cashman still believes that it was their series to win. Said Cashman, “Well, I think we actually did it the right way.”

Speaking about the assembled side in 2016, Cashman really has a positive opinion. “Pulled it down, brought it back up. Drafted well, traded well, developed well, signed well. The only thing that derailed us was a cheating circumstance that threw us off,” he added.

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But what do you think? Were the Yankees on the cusp of a championship if not for the Houston Astros? Do you agree with Brian Cashman?