By Canadian Press

A capsule look at the World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers

Oct 25, 2023 | 7:08 AM

A capsule look at the best-of-seven World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers:

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Schedule: (All times EDT) Game 1, Friday, at Arlington, Texas, 8:03 p.m. (Fox); Game 2, Saturday, at Arlington, Texas, 8:03 p.m. (Fox); Game 3, Monday, Oct. 30, at Phoenix, 8:03 p.m. (Fox); Game 4, Tuesday, Oct. 31, at Phoenix, 8:03 p.m. (Fox); x-Game 5, Wednesday, Nov. 1, at Phoenix, 8:03 p.m. (Fox); x-Game 6, Friday, Nov. 3, at Arlington, Texas, 8:03 p.m. (Fox); x-Game 7, Saturday, Nov. 4, at Arlington, Texas, 8:03 p.m. (Fox).

x-if necessary.

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Season Series: Diamondbacks won 3-1.

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ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Record: 84-78.

Playoff Entry: Wild Card.

Manager: Torey Lovullo (seventh season).

Top Hitters: OF Corbin Carroll (.285, 25 HRs, 76 RBIs, .868 OPS, 54/59 SBs, 116 runs), 2B Ketel Marte (.276, 25, 82, .844 OPS), 1B Christian Walker (.258, 33, 103, .830 OPS), LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (.261, 24, 82, .772 OPS).

Projected Rotation: RH Zac Gallen (17-9, 3.47 ERA, 220 Ks, 210 IP in 34 starts), RH Merrill Kelly (12-8, 3.29 in 30 starts), RH Brandon Pfaadt (3-9, 5.72, 22 HRs in 96 IP).

Key Relievers: RH Paul Sewald (3-2, 3.12 ERA, 34/39 saves with Mariners and Diamondbacks), RH Kevin Ginkel (9-1, 2.48, 4 saves), RH Ryan Thompson (1-2, 3.82, 1 save with Rays and Diamondbacks), LH Andrew Saalfrank (0-0, 0.00 in 10 games), LH Joe Mantiply (2-2, 4.62), RH Miguel Castro (6-6, 4.31, 7 saves in NL-high 75 games).

Series Story: Nine-game losing streak left young Diamondbacks 57-59 on Aug. 11, but they recovered. Despite totaling three runs while dropping last four regular-season games, Arizona squeezed into final playoff spot before taking off on 9-3 postseason roll to become second consecutive No. 6 seed to win National League pennant. … Making first playoff appearance since Lovullo’s debut season in 2017, the Diamondbacks swept division champion Brewers and Dodgers before overcoming 2-0 and 3-2 deficits against defending NL champion Phillies in NLCS. Arizona held Bryce Harper & Co. to three runs over final 18 innings to win Games 6 and 7 in Philadelphia, where Phillies had been 12-2 over past two postseasons — including 11-0 in NL playoff games. … Impressive turnaround under GM Mike Hazen after Diamondbacks lost 110 games in 2021 and finished 74-88 last year. Only previous World Series berth came in 2001, when Arizona — in franchise’s fourth season — edged New York Yankees in classic seven-game thriller. … Marte was NLCS MVP after batting .387 with 12 hits, four doubles, a triple and three RBIs. His 19 hits in single postseason are a club record. He’s hit safely in all 16 career postseason games, longest streak in NL history and second in major league annals to Derek Jeter’s 17-game run for Yankees. … Gallen is 2-2 with 5.24 ERA in four postseason outings after getting roughed up in NLCS. Kelly went 2-1 with 2.65 ERA in three playoff starts. Pfaadt, a rookie, has come on with 2.70 ERA and 22 strikeouts against three walks in 16 2/3 innings. … No-name relief corps has been an October revelation, and Diamondbacks figure to go with bullpen parade in Game 4 just like NLCS. Sewald is perfect in six postseason save chances. He and Ginkel have combined for 24 strikeouts in 17 scoreless innings. … Diamondbacks split two games at Texas in early May and swept a pair at home from Rangers in August, including 11-inning victory on consecutive doubles by Geraldo Perdomo and Tommy Pham off Will Smith. Gallen whiffed 11 over six innings of one-run ball to win series finale that came during eight-game skid for Texas. … Rangers hold 28-25 edge in regular-season matchups. … Arizona bench coach Jeff Banister won AL West titles in first two seasons of tenure as Texas manager from 2015-18.

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TEXAS RANGERS

Record: 90-72.

Playoff Entry: Wild Card.

Manager: Bruce Bochy (first season).

Top Hitters: SS Corey Seager (.327, 33 HRs, 96 RBIs, 1.013 OPS in 119 games), RF Adolis García (.245, 39, 107, .836 OPS), 2B Marcus Semien (.276, 29, 100, .826 OPS in 162 games, led AL with 122 runs and 185 hits), 3B Josh Jung (.266, 23, 70, .781 OPS in 122 games).

Projected Rotation: RH Nathan Eovaldi (12-5, 3.63 ERA in 25 starts), LH Jordan Montgomery (10-11, 3.20 in 32 starts with Cardinals and Rangers), RH Max Scherzer (13-6, 3.77 in 27 starts with Mets and Rangers), LH Andrew Heaney (10-6, 4.15).

Key Relievers: RH José Leclerc (0-2, 2.68 ERA, 4 saves), RH Josh Sborz (6-7, 5.50), LH Aroldis Chapman (6-5, 3.09, 6 saves, 103 Ks in 58 1/3 IP with Royals and Rangers), LH Cody Bradford (4-3, 5.30 in 20 games, 8 starts), RH Dane Dunning (12-7, 3.70 in 35 games, 26 starts), LH Will Smith (2-7, 4.40, 22 saves).

Series Story: In first playoff appearance since 2016, streaky but resilient Rangers won franchise’s third American League pennant to reach World Series for first time since consecutive trips in 2010 and 2011. Quite a turnaround under Bochy and GM Chris Young after Rangers lost 102 games in 2021 and went 68-94 last year for sixth straight losing season. … One of six major league teams without a World Series title — Colorado, Milwaukee, San Diego, Seattle and Tampa Bay are the others. … Texas led AL West most of the year but squandered division crown to rival Houston with loss at Seattle on final day of regular season. That left Rangers with No. 5 seed in AL playoffs and sent them across country to open playoffs at Tampa Bay, part of two-week trip that took them to four cities — two on each coast. But they swept Rays and AL East champion Orioles, two winningest teams in AL this season, while starting playoffs with seven straight wins — six on road. Then they dropped all three home games to Astros in AL Championship Series before rebounding in Houston, totaling 20 runs in Games 6 and 7 to dethrone defending World Series champs in Lone Star State showdown. Marked second time in major league history road team won every game in a best-of-seven postseason series. … Texas joined 1996 New York Yankees as only clubs to win first eight road games in a postseason. Which, of course, earned Rangers home-field advantage in all-wild card World Series because they had better regular-season record than Arizona. … The 68-year-old Bochy, who came out of retirement to manage Rangers, is looking for fourth championship after leading San Francisco to World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014. He is first skipper to win LCS with three different teams, after guiding Padres and Giants to NL pennants. … García, the ALCS MVP, homered in final four games and set record for RBIs in a postseason series with 15. He hit seven homers in playoffs, and his 20 RBIs were most in postseason history prior to World Series. … Eovaldi is 4-0 with 2.42 ERA in four starts this postseason. Montgomery is 3-0 with 2.16 ERA, including Game 7 victory in relief against Astros. … Scherzer was drafted by Diamondbacks and spent first two seasons with Arizona from 2008-09 before three-time Cy Young Award winner was traded to Detroit. … Leclerc has taken over closer role from struggling Smith, earning three saves in 10 appearances during playoffs. … Poised rookie outfielder Evan Carter has provided huge boost since making big league debut Sept. 8, less than two weeks after 21st birthday. … Two times Texas was one strike from winning 2011 World Series before Cardinals rallied twice to win Game 6. St. Louis then took Game 7 for the title.

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The Associated Press