Can Arizona D-backs continue magical season against Texas Rangers in World Series?

Major League Baseball will soon crown a new champion.

The 2023 World Series features the Texas Rangers against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Both advanced to the Fall Classic with thrilling Game 7 victories.

The Rangers eliminated the in-state rival Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series on Monday; the Diamondbacks overcame a 3-2 series deficit to shock the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series.

The World Series begins Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:03 p.m. Central Time at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.

The Rangers have home-field advantage throughout the Series. Games 1-2 will be played at Globe Life Park. The World Series will then shift to Chase Field in Phoenix.

Games 3-5 are scheduled for early next week. If necessary, the World Series would return to Globe Life Park for the final two games.

So how did we get here?

True Wild Cards

The Rangers entered the MLB playoffs as a dangerous AL Wild Card team. They finished 90-72 and tied with the Astros atop the American League West standings.

However, the Astros won the division based on a regular-season tiebreaker. That slotted the Rangers as the fifth seed.

The Rangers swept the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles in consecutive series. They relied on their potent offense and strong pitching to overcome the Astros, as well.

The Diamondbacks followed a similar path. Arizona swept the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers in convincing fashion. Then, they defeated the Phillies. All-Star outfielder Corbin Carroll is hitting .295 with two home runs and six RBIs this postseason.

Arizona came a long way in short order. Just 84-78 in the regular season, the Diamondbacks are surging at the right time. This is their first trip to the World Series since the 2001 season.

Both of these teams lost 100-plus games two seasons ago. Now, they are just four wins shy of becoming World Series champions.

Pitching will dominate World Series

Game 1 will feature a premier matchup between Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen and Rangers star Nathan Eovaldi.

Gallen won 17 games and posted a 3.47 ERA this season. He will spearhead the Diamondbacks’ starting rotation alongside teammates Merrill Kelly and rising star Brandon Pfaadt.

Pfaadt owns a 2.70 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings this postseason. He struck out nine Phillies in Game 3 of the NLCS.

The Rangers will counter with Eovaldi, Jordan Montgomery and former Diamondbacks pitcher (and former Mizzou Tiger) Max Scherzer.

It will be interesting to see how Rangers manager Bruce Bochy utilizes Scherzer in the World Series. Scherzer has a cut on his pitching thumb and is coming off a muscle strain. He allowed two runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Astros in Game 7.

The difference will come in the bullpen.

The Rangers are armed with a wealth of late-inning options with World Series experience. Bochy can turn to relievers Will Smith, Aroldis Chapman or Jose Leclerc. This could be an important advantage late in the series against a young Diamondbacks team.

D-backs must contain Adolis Garcia

Garcia has elevated his game in the playoffs. He’s hitting .327 with seven home runs and 20 RBIs. He also drove in 15 runs against the Astros in the ALCS.

Garcia is prone to striking out but remains the offensive engine. He can ignite the Rangers’ offense with one swing. He also thrives in the spotlight and has proven clutch in the biggest moments.

He hit a ninth-inning grand slam against the Astros in Game 6. He finished that series batting .357 with a 1.293 OPS (on-base plus slugging).

This season, Garcia hit .118 in four games against the Diamondbacks. He went 2-for-17 and struck out five times against them in the regular season play.

The Diamondbacks won three of four games against Texas.

The Rangers will rely heavily on Garcia in the World Series. His production could also help teammates Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Josh Jung get going.

Can D-backs’ magical run continue?

The Diamondbacks might relatively unknown to more casual fans.

Their roster features a young core that includes Carroll, Ketel Marte, Gabriel Moreno and Pavin Smith. They also have key veterans in Tommy Pham, Christian Walker and Evan Longoria.

The D-backs don’t feature many established stars, but they play as a team. They’ve won games with different players leading the way.

And that’s propelled them to baseball’s biggest stage.

Carroll had a breakout 2023 campaign. He hit .285 with 25 homers, 76 RBIs and 54 steals. He also led the majors with 10 triples.

Marte was pivotal against the Phillies. He hit .387 in the NLCS and has a hit in every game this postseason.

Arizona has come up with timely home runs throughout the postseason, and that must continue. Whether it’s Walker, Moreno or someone like Alek Thomas, the D-backs will need everyone’s best effort to win it all.

Manager Torey Lovullo has been great at making adjustments in the postseason. How he utilizes his bullpen and arranges his lineup will help determine how far Arizona goes in this World Series.

How can each team win?

The Rangers have the overall edge in the World Series.

They’ve built a veteran roster over the last two seasons with high-priced additions in Seager and Semien. And Scherzer was added for his postseason prowess.

Texas can win the World Series by relying on its superstars. They’re strong at home and comfortable on the road. If Garcia stays hot, the Rangers could be hoisting the first World Series trophy in club history.

The Diamondbacks, meanwhile, arrived to the World Series a bit early. This team has reminded many of the 2014 Kansas City Royals. That KC team was scrappy and had young players just reaching stardom.

While the Royals didn’t win the 2014 World Series, they solidified their position among the MLB elite. The next year, of course, the Royals won the second World Series championship in franchise history.

Arizona has all the tools to win the World Series, and anything can happen in October. The Diamondbacks are talented enough to shock the world again.

World Series prediction

The Rangers beat the Diamondbacks four games to two, delivering the first MLB title in franchise history.