World Series: Rangers outlast Diamondbacks in Game 5 for 1st title
1 year ago
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Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, left, and shortstop Corey Seager, right, celebrate after the Texas Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-0, in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night in Phoenix. Seager was voted the World Series MVP. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy holds up the trophy after Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. The Rangers won 5-0 to win the series 4-1. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen throws against the Texas Rangers during the first inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen and catcher Gabriel Moreno meet in the first inning against the Texas Rangers during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll (7) steals second base as Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) reaches to tag him during the first inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi reacts after giving up a walk in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen throws against the Texas Rangers during the first inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen pitches in the first inning against the Texas Rangers during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Lourdes Gurriel Jr. celebrates his single against the Texas Rangers during the second inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi pitches in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim celebrates the last out against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the third inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Texas Rangers left fielder Evan Carter catches a fly ball hit by the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Lourdes Gurriel Jr. during the fourth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Geraldo Perdomo (2) reacts after a strike-three call by home plate umpire Brian Knight, right, as Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim runs toward the dugout at the end of the fourth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Geraldo Perdomo reacts after striking out to end the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi reacts against the Texas Rangers during the fourth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. catches a fly ball hit by Texas Rangers’ Josh Jung during the fifth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen reacts after the last out against the Texas Rangers in the top of the sixth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, center, celebrates with Manager Bruce Bochy and pitching coach Mike Maddux after the sixth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Texas Rangers’ Corey Seager hits a single against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
The Texas Rangers’ Mitch Garver, right, hits an RBI single as Arizona Diamondbacks’ Gabriel Moreno reaches for the pitch during the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Texas Rangers’ Mitch Garver (18) hits an RBI single as Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno reaches for the pitch during the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The Texas Rangers’ Mitch Garver hits an RBI single in the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Texas Rangers’ Mitch Garver celebrates after a RBI single against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen leaves the game against the Texas Rangers during the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) waits to hand the baseball to manager Torey Lovullo (17) during the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Texas Rangers Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo relieves starting pitcher Zac Gallen, second from left, in the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen leaves the game against the Texas Rangers during the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Kevin Ginkel tags Texas Rangers’ Evan Carter out in a run down during the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Kevin Ginkel, right, tags Texas Rangers’ Evan Carter (32) out in a run down during the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Kevin Ginkel celebrates the last out Texas Rangers in the top of the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll lines out in the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Josh Sborz throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Josh Sborz leaves the field after the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Kevin Ginkel celebrates after the last out in the top of the eighth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Texas Rangers Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Kevin Ginkel celebrates after the end of the top of the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Tommy Pham of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after striking out in the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Paul Sewald throws to the plate in the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers’ Jonah Heim hits a single off Paul Sewald of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the ninth inning during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers’ Jonah Heim hits a single in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers’ Josh Jung and Nathaniel Lowe (30) celebrate after scoring on a single by Jonah Heim during the ninth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
The Texas Rangers’ Josh Jung celebrates after scoring a run in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers’ Marcus Semien (2), Josh Jung (6) and Nathaniel Lowe (30) celebrate after Jung and Lowe scored runs in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Paul Sewald throws to the plate in the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers’ Marcus Semien, right, hits a two-run home run as Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno reaches for the pitch during the ninth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Texas Rangers’ Marcus Semien watches his two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
The Texas Rangers’ Marcus Semien celebrates his two-run home run with Jonah Heim against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Members of the Arizona Diamondbacks watch during the ninth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Texas Rangers Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Josh Sborz pitches in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Josh Sborz celebrates after the final out of their 5-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night in Phoenix. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim celebrates after Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. The Rangers won 5-0 to win the series 4-1. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim, left, and relief pitcher Josh Sborz celebrate after Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. The Rangers won 5-0 to win the series 4-1. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
The Texas Rangers celebrate after beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game Five to win the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers celebrate after winning Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. The Rangers won 5-0 to win the series 4-1. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The Texas Rangers celebrate after winning Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. The Rangers won 5-0 to win the series 4-1. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The Texas Rangers celebrate after winning Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. The Rangers won 5-0 to win the series 4-1. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Texas Rangers celebrate after winning Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. The Rangers won 5-0 to win the series 4-1. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
The Texas Rangers celebrate after beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game Five to win the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Members of the Arizona Diamondbacks look on from the dugout after losing to the Texas Rangers 5-0 in Game Five of the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young celebrates with the Commissioner’s Trophy after the Texas Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game Five to win the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager stand by the trophy after Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. The Rangers won 5-0 to win the series 4-1.(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy celebrates with the trophy after winning Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. The Rangers won 5-0 to win the series 4-1. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager stands by the trophy after Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. The Rangers won 5-0 to win the series 4-1.(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Texas Rangers pitcher Jordan Montgomery celebrates with the Commissioner’s Trophy after the Texas Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game Five to win the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Texas Rangers pose after winning Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. The Rangers won 5-0 to win the series 4-1. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager, right, and teammates celebrate in the clubhouse after they defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-0, in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night in Phoenix. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers celebrate after winning Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. The Rangers won 5-0 to win the series 4-1. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
The Texas Rangers celebrate after winning Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Phoenix. The Rangers won 5-0 to win the series 4-1. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Texas Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer celebrates in the clubhouse after the Texas Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game Five to win the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
By DAVID BRANDT AP Baseball Writer
PHOENIX — Corey Seager took a mighty hack and barely connected, sending a dribbler through an open area on the left side of the infield for his team’s first hit in the seventh inning.
The Texas Rangers shortstop and World Series MVP provided plenty of power throughout a stellar October run. But it was a little good fortune that finally sparked the offense and sent the Rangers to their first World Series title.
Considering the heartache this club went through 12 years ago in one of the all-time Fall Classic gut punches, Texas was certainly due.
Nathan Eovaldi pitched six gritty innings, Mitch Garver broke a scoreless tie with an RBI single in the seventh and the Rangers won the first championship in their 63-season franchise history by beating the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-0, in Game 5 on Wednesday night.
Marcus Semien homered in a four-run ninth and the Rangers, held hitless for six innings by Zac Gallen, finished a record 11-0 on the road this postseason after capping the Fall Classic with three straight wins in the desert.
“Everything I’ve ever worked for is for this moment,” Semien said. “Gallen was unbelievable tonight. But we came through. Once Corey got the first hit, everybody kind of woke up. Pitching was unbelievable.”
In his first season with Texas, manager Bruce Bochy won his fourth title 13 years to the day after his first, which came in 2010 when the San Francisco Giants beat the Rangers. He also won rings with the Giants in 2012 and 2014.
“I was sitting in a recliner there in Nashville, just enjoying myself,” said the 68-year-old Bochy, who came out of retirement to take over the Rangers.
The win helped exorcise some unpleasant memories for Texas fans, who watched as their team came agonizingly close to a title in 2011, needing just one strike on two occasions before losing to the St. Louis Cardinals.
One night after the Rangers built a 10-run lead by the third inning in Game 4, they finished off baseball’s third all-wild card World Series by outlasting Arizona in a white-knuckle pitchers’ duel.
Gallen carried a no-hitter into the seventh before giving up an opposite-field single to Seager, whose weak grounder found a hole. Rangers rookie Evan Carter – all of 21 years old – followed with a double. Garver then delivered the first run, pumping his fist as a hard-hit grounder up the middle scored Seager.
Garver was 1 for 17 at the plate in the Series before his huge hit.
With the Rangers clinging to that 1-0 lead, Josh Jung and Nathaniel Lowe singled off Paul Sewald to start the ninth. Jung scored on Jonah Heim’s single, and Lowe came all the way around from first base when center fielder Alek Thomas let the ball get past him for an error.
Two outs later, Semien’s two-run homer made it 5-0. It was the 13th time Texas scored at least three runs in an inning this postseason.
Meanwhile, on the mound, Eovaldi wriggled out of trouble all night before Aroldis Chapman and Josh Sborz finished it.
“I kind of joked around: I don’t know how many rabbits I have in my hat,” said Eovaldi, who improved to 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA this postseason. “I didn’t really do a great job tonight in attacking the zone. But our defense, incredible again.”
Sborz struck out four in 2⅓ innings of one-hit relief for his first postseason save. He threw a called third strike past Ketel Marte for the final out, making Texas the first team to win a World Series game despite having no hits or runs through six innings.
It’s the first title for the Rangers, whose history dates back to 1961 when they were the expansion Washington Senators. They moved to Texas for the 1972 season.
Now, after five stadiums, roughly two dozen managers and 10,033 games, the Rangers are champions.
It didn’t come easy – at all.
Texas led the AL West for most of the year but coughed up the division title on the final day of the regular season to rival Houston. The Rangers weathered an early season-ending injury to new ace Jacob deGrom and a significant one to Seager before red-hot slugger Adolis García and three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer went down in Game 3 of the World Series.
Yet still, players like trade-deadline acquisition Jordan Montgomery, replacement closer José Leclerc and backup outfielder Travis Jankowski picked up the slack throughout for these resilient Rangers, capping a quick and impressive turnaround under general manager Chris Young after Texas lost 102 games in 2021 and went 68-94 last year for its sixth consecutive losing season.
A disheartening 1-0 defeat in the regular-season finale at Seattle left the Rangers with the No. 5 seed in the AL playoffs and sent them across the country to open the playoffs at Tampa Bay, part of a two-week trip that took them to four cities – two on each coast. But after sweeping the Rays and AL East champion Orioles, the AL’s two winningest teams, Texas got its revenge against Houston, winning a hard-fought AL Championship Series in which the road team won all seven games.
That sent the Rangers to their first Fall Classic in 12 years. Once there, they became the first team to win the World Series without committing an error since the 1966 Baltimore Orioles.
Texas will celebrate with a parade in the Arlington entertainment district near its stadium on Friday.
“We’ve just got a group of winners,” Lowe said. “When the bus driver’s driving slow, we tell him, ‘Hey man, you know you’re driving a group of winners,’ so we believed it through and through. Maybe we struggled at home, but we got it done on the road, and we’ve got a special group.”
Finally, the Rangers had to get past the young and surprising Diamondbacks, who won just 84 games during the regular season but beat the Milwaukee Brewers, Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies in a remarkable postseason run that finally fizzled.
“I’m sorry I didn’t do my job to get us there,” Manager Torey Lovullo said, pausing as his voice cracked with emotion. “But I will. We all will.”
With some help from his defense, the bespectacled Gallen mowed down his first 14 hitters before walking Lowe.
Eovaldi wasn’t as sharp, but still matched Gallen’s zeros on the scoreboard despite walking five, his most in an outing since 2013.
Arizona had some juicy opportunities to score in the first five innings, but couldn’t convert, going 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
Eovaldi made it through six, giving up four hits and striking out five on 97 pitches.
“He was a traffic cop tonight,” Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux said.
VALUABLE COMPANY
Seager, who also led the Dodgers to a championship in 2020, joined Hall of Famers Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson and Reggie Jackson as the only players to win two World Series MVP awards.
CONNECT FOUR
Bochy is the sixth manager to win four titles, joining Casey Stengel (seven), Joe McCarthy (seven), Connie Mack (five), Walter Alston (four) and Joe Torre (four). All of them are in the Hall of Fame and when Bochy’s career is over, it seems a given he’ll be enshrined in Cooperstown as well.
MONEY WELL SPENT
The Rangers have been eyeing this moment since Dec. 1, 2021, when they committed more than a half-billion dollars to sign Seager, Semien and pitcher Jon Gray, who delivered a crucial three-inning relief performance in Game 3. Big spending doesn’t always lead to titles – just ask the New York Mets, New York Yankees and San Diego Padres this year – but for the Rangers, it worked.
STREAK STOPPED
Marte went 0 for 2, ending his postseason-record hitting streak at 20 games. He walked three times, though, and has reached base safely in all 21 career postseason games.
LONG AND WINDING ROAD
After baseball expanded its playoffs to 12 teams in 2022, the Rangers became the first team to win 13 postseason games en route to a World Series title. Texas also became the first club in any of the four major professional sports in North America to win 11 road games in a single postseason, according to OptaSTATS.
THEN THERE WERE FIVE
Five major league franchises remain without a World Series championship: Colorado, Milwaukee, San Diego, Seattle and Tampa Bay. The Diamondbacks won their only title in 2001.
