Recap of the 2023 MLB World Series
Now that the Texas Rangers have been crowned the 2023 World Series Champions, let’s recap some of the big moments in the World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks.
First, this World Series matchup has got to be one of the least expected matchups of all time. I will put money on the fact that nobody bet on the Rangers and Diamondbacks World Series back in April, but it happened.
Even though this World Series showed some of the lowest viewer ratings we’ve seen in years, I enjoyed it. It was clear the Rangers were winning, but the Diamondbacks put up some fight at the beginning of the series.
Game 1 was in Texas because the Rangers finished with a better record in the regular season. The starting pitchers for this game were both team’s aces, Diamondbacks Zac Gallen and Rangers Nathan Eovaldi.
Zac Gallen has been extremely bad this postseason–no way to sugarcoat it. On the other side of the field, you see Nathan Eovaldi, who’s been extremely good this postseason and was always good in the postseason, most signs were pointing towards a game-one win for the Rangers.
The game started with a pretty rough first inning for Zac Gallen, giving up 2 runs on an Evan Carter double (catcher for Texas) and an Adolis Garcia single(right fielder for Texas).
The Diamondbacks answered back with a Corbin Carroll (right fielder) 2-run double in the 3rd inning followed by a Ketel Marte (second baseman) fielder’s choice, which drove in another run to give the Diamondbacks a 3–2 lead.
Zac Gallen then runs into some trouble in the bottom of the 3rd and walks Mitch Garver (designated hitter) with the bases loaded, but luckily, he’s able to limit damage after that and get out of the inning.
Diamondbacks and Rangers enter the top of the 5th tied 3–3.
The Diamondbacks break the tie yet again with a Tommy Pham(left fielder) solo homer followed by a Ketel Marte RBI double. The Diamondbacks had the chance to score again but the Rangers bullpen limited them to only two runs but being ahead 5–3 this far into the game makes it look hopeful for Arizona to win this game.
There was no scoring until the bottom 9th because of amazing bullpen performances and defensive plays by both sides. But sadly, the amazing bullpen performances couldn’t last all game.
Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald gave up a game-tying homer to Corey Seager to make this game 5–5. The D-backs were so close to a game one victory, but this was going to have to be decided in extras.
After an amazing 10th-inning performance by Kyle Nelson of the Diamondbacks to keep the game tied, Miguel Castro gave up a walk-off homer to Adolis Garcia in the 11th to win the Rangers the game.
This Game 1 showed that this World Series might not be as boring as people said it would be, and that maybe the Diamondbacks have a chance after all.
Game 2 in Texas was the day after Game 1. So, no time for rest for either squad. This game had a pitching matchup of Merrill Kelly (Diamondbacks) and Jordan Montgomery(Rangers).
The game started off quiet on both sides. The scoring didn’t start until the 4th inning with a Gabriel Moreno (Catcher for Arizona) solo home run. This was then followed with a Lourdes Gurriel Jr (Left Fielder) RBI single also in the 4th.
Now in the bottom of the 5th, Texas would score their only run of the night with a Mitch Garver solo homer. From this point on it was an Arizona blowout.
In the 7th inning, there was an Evan Longoria (3rd basemen) RBI single followed by a Corbin Carroll RBI single.
In the 8th, Ketel Marte would hit a two-run single followed by another Corbin Carroll RBI single.
Lastly, Emmanuel Rivera had a two-run single in the 9th. Luis Frias closed this game out to make the final score 9–1 Arizona in a blowout game.
This turned the tables for the series–it could go either way at this point. While most people still had Texas going all the way, Arizona has proven that they are not here for no reason.
Game 3 started the 3-game stretch in Arizona.
The Rangers had Max Scherzer on the mound with Arizona putting out Brandon Pfaadt. Scherzer was extremely bad this postseason and Pfaadt had a good season, so this game was going to be interesting pitching-wise.
The scoring started in the top of the 3rd with a Marcus Semien (Second Basemen) RBI single followed by a Corey Seager 2-run homer shortly after. This made the game 3–0 already in the 3rd inning. Pfaadt was not looking good in a game that really mattered.
Scherzer did not come back out to pitch in 4th because of an injury, this meant that the Diamondbacks have a good chance of coming back with the Rangers now pitching a bullpen game. Arizona didn’t end up scoring until the 8th inning….
Geraldo Perdomo (Shortstop) hit an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth. This was the only run Arizona scored in this game after Ketel Marte grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Very upsetting game for Arizona. They needed this momentum to keep this series going, but now it’s looking like the Rangers were going to make quick work of the D-Backs.
Now we’re up to Game 4 in Arizona.
We saw a pitching matchup of Joe Mantiply for the D-Backs and Andrew Heaney for the Rangers. Both have been super mediocre this postseason so it was going to be yet another interesting game.
The scoring started in the top of the second when Josh Jung (3rd basemen) scored on a wild pitch to give the Rangers a 1–0 lead. Shortly after, Marcus Semien hit a two-run triple, and then directly after that Corey Seager hit a two-run homer to blow this game wide open for the Rangers.
In the top of the 3rd, Travis Jankowski (right fielder) hit a two-run double to give the Rangers a 7–0 lead. A couple of batters later, a 3-run homer for Marcus Semien. The score was now 10–0 and the Diamondbacks already lost this game before it even started.
The Diamondbacks finally got a run on the board in the bottom of the 4th with a Lourdes Gurriel Jr sacrifice fly to make the score 10–1.
With the help of some great defensive plays, the scoring stopped until the top of the 8th with a Jonah Heim solo homer to make the score 11–1.
With the Rangers looking like they had this game in the bag, they didn’t put in their best pitcher going into the 9th. So maybe the Diamondbacks could come back?
The Diamondbacks scored a run on a Tommy Pham sacrifice fly, followed shortly after by a Lourdes Gurriel Jr 3-run homer to make the score 11–5. Maybe the Diamondbacks had a comeback in them?
Gabriel Moreno then hit a two-run single up the middle to make the Diamondbacks one step closer to coming back. But sadly, that’s all the scoring that would be done today because the Rangers got out of this inning after giving up 6 runs.
So, with a final score of 11–7, the Rangers have taken a 3–1 lead in this series. Only 6 teams have come back from a 3–1 deficit in the World Series, most recently happening in 2016 when the Cubs came back against the Indians (now Guardians).
Now Game 5 is among us, which may or may not be the final game of this series. We have a pitching matchup that is the same as Game 1. Nathan Eovaldi for Texas and Zac Gallen for Arizona.
The game was kept scoreless into the 7th inning after 6 no-hit innings for Zac Gallen and another amazing pitching performance by Nathan Eovaldi. But after Gallen lost his no-hitter to a Corey Seager single, it all just went downhill from there.
Mitch Garver led the scoring off with a go-ahead single in the 7th to make it 1–0. In the 9th inning, Jonah Heim hit a two-run single. Then shortly after Marcus Semien hit a two-run homer to capitalize on this amazing game for Texas.
The Diamondbacks couldn’t answer back so the final score was 5–0 Texas with the Rangers officially winning their first World Series in franchise history.
Corey Seager was named World Series MVP after leading his team to their first-ever championship with amazing stats overall.
So, the Rangers made quick work of the Diamondbacks and won the World Series, which concludes the 2023 MLB Season. This is the most fun I’ve had watching baseball since 2019 and I believe the 2024 season will be even better than this season.
