The 2023 World Series begins tonight in Arlington, Texas.
The Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks punched their tickets in two thrilling league championship series that went the distance. Both teams came from behind to win Games 6 and 7 on the road — with the D-backs upsetting the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park and the Rangers taking down their instate rivals, the reigning champion Houston Astros, at Minute Maid Park.
With the first pitch of World Series Game 1 scheduled for 8:03 p.m. ET at Globe Life Field, we dive into the players and matchups that matter most for both teams. We also asked our ESPN MLB experts to make their picks for who will win the Series, how many games it will take and who will be the MVP of this Fall Classic.
Jump to: Rangers | Diamondbacks | Our predictions
63.6% chance of winning | Caesars odds: -170
What's on the line for the Rangers: The first World Series title in franchise history — ending a drought not as long as those the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs once had, and certainly not as infamous, but a long drought nonetheless. Born in 1961 as the second incarnation of the Washington Senators, the franchise moved to the Metroplex in 1972 and lost 205 games its first two seasons, later inspiring a book titled «Seasons in Hell.» The Rangers didn't make the playoffs until 1996 and finally reached the World Series in 2010 and 2011. In 2010, they lost to their current manager, Bruce Bochy, and his San Francisco Giants in five games. In 2011, they fell to the St. Louis Cardinals in the most agonizing fashion: They were leading 7-5 in Game 6 entering the bottom of the ninth, only to blow the game and then drop Game 7 as well.
After decades of struggles on the mound, the Rangers
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ESPN
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classical
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Bruce Bochy