Someone finally slayed the dragon — it just wasn’t the Yankees.

For the first time since 2020 — and only the third time since 2016 — the Astros won’t be representing the American League in the World Series that starts tonight. If that provides some solace for Yankees fans tired of seeing Houston dominate in October, have at it, though the Rangers don’t look like they’ll be any less of a threat anytime soon.

That’s a problem for another day, though. So is figuring out how to beat the Astros, who have knocked off the Yankees three times in the ALCS since 2017.

For now, there are some lessons to be learned from watching the Rangers punch their ticket to the Fall Classic — and one from the National League representative Diamondbacks, too — as the Yankees are left continuing their October of organizational evaluation. And no, it does not involve blasting Creed in the clubhouse: