The Texas Rangers showed they were a great team on the road, but things were tougher at home in the playoffs. Bruce Bochy’s men will need to find a solution quickly as they welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks to Globe Life Field on Friday for the start of the World Series.
In the American League Championship Series, the Rangers lost three times to the Houston Astros in Arlington. However, they won all four meetings at Minute Maid Park, much to the chagrin of manager Dusty Baker.
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“That’s been the scenario in the playoffs so far; “The away team played very well,” shortstop Marcus Semien told the media on Wednesday. We had to get to Tampa and Baltimore very early. [Les Diamondbacks] went to Milwaukee and [Los Angeles] and swept them away. That’s how it’s going this year, no matter the reason, but it’s up to us to play better at home.”
The Rangers are at least giving themselves the means to realize their ambitions by sending their ace Nathan Eovaldi (4-0) to the mound. He maintained an excellent 2.42 points average in the playoffs.
“We will see how they attack us and we will adapt,” Semien admitted. Of course, you have to look at what they did in the playoffs. It is a young and fighting team that is hungry. If you look at both formations, we are a little older and more experienced, but that doesn’t matter anymore. We just have to play good baseball now.”
Who knows, they could take inspiration from former US President George W. Bush, one of the team’s owners, who will be in charge of the ceremonial toss. This will be his fourth time pitching in the World Series after 2001, 2010 and 2017.
Young and mature
As for the visitors, it’s that youth that sets this surprising Diamondbacks team apart. Corbin Carroll, Brandon Pfaadt, Alek Thomas and Gabriel Moreno are experiencing their first playoff trip with rose-colored glasses.
“You have to give half the credit to the veterans who really created that atmosphere of confidence and calm. […] The young guys… they’re young and naive and they don’t realize that they’re supposed to be under pressure, but they’re so mature,” veteran pitcher Paul Sewald told MLB Network.
He won’t start the first game, but Zac Gallen. The starter was not spared from problems after an excellent regular season. His ERA of 5.24 speaks for itself.
That being said, never underestimate the Diamondbacks, who made us forget their 84-78 record with their inspiring performances.
“There was always that hope,” Pfaadt said Thursday, still on MLB Network. The whole team understood it. I think every team going into spring training thinks about it, but we’re lucky to be here.”
The first game of the World Series will be broadcast on TVA Sports starting at 8 p.m.