series. In 2016, Houston began the season 7–17. Although their play improved during the season, the Astros finished 84–78 and did not qualify for the playoffs. In 2017, the Astros achieved a club record of 50 wins in 74 games and finished the regular season 101–61, winning their first division title in 16 years and first since joining the American League. The 2017 postseason began at home for the Astros. Hinch guided the team past the Boston Red Sox in four games, with his decision to have Justin Verlander pitch in relief in the deciding Game 4 receiving attention. In the 2017 American League Championship Series, he led the Astros against the New York Yankees in Houston's first championship series appearance in 12 years. After his team won the first two games at home, the Yankees rallied with three wins in New York, with Game 4's loss resulting from the bullpen giving up six combined runs in the 7th and 8th after Hinch took out pitcher Lance McCullers Jr after only six innings. With a pivotal Game 6 in Houston and Justin Verlander on the mound, the Astros won the game 7–1. In Game 7, he chose Charlie Morton (who went five innings) as his starter and McCullers to pitch the final four in relief as the Astros shutout the Yankees 4–0 to clinch their first ever AL pennant and first overall pennant in 12 years to advance to the 2017 World Series, which they won in 7 games. He used the same four pitchers he had used in the ALCS (Dallas Keuchel, Justin Verlander, Lance McCullers and Charlie Morton) for the World Series, though only McCullers and Morton received wins as two relievers (Chris Devenski and Joe Musgrove) also received wins. He led the Astros to their first World Series victory, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 4 games to 3. In the final game, Morton pitched the final four innings as the Astros won 5–1 to clinch their first ever title. With the win, Hinch has the most playoff victories as a manager of the Astros, with 14, eclipsing the previous record of 13 by Phil Garner. On August 30, 2018, the Astros signed Hinch to a four-year extension. The Astros Lost to the Washington Nationals 4 games to 3 in 2019 World Series. On January 13, 2020, During the offseason, Hinch and Jeff Luhnow, the team's general manager,