Jude Magnotti ‘26
Isaac Gramse ‘26
EE Sports Columnists
It is finally here! Every game, every pitch, and every hit this entire season has all culminated to the single most important event in baseball: The World Series. Coming into the year everyone had their own predictions on what team would be left standing at the end of October. However, no one could have ever predicted the teams that actually made it there: The Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. If you told someone just two years ago that this would be the world series matchup, they would laugh right in your face. But it’s a big sigh of relief to baseball fans everywhere to not have to witness again the dreaded Houston Astros in the fall classic. Now, both of these teams just had an electrifying game 7 and pulled off a massive upset in their respective LCS, but who will manage to keep their cool and emerge as World Series champions?
Isaac:
The Arizona Diamondbacks have had one of, if not the best postseason run I have ever seen; I have already written an article about their shocking upset against the Phillies, but I believe that they can manage to win their second World Series title in the history of their franchise. Arizona has a lot of young talent, Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, Zac Gallen, and Alek Thomas all come to mind. They have had a rough couple of seasons winning 74 games last year and only 52 games in 2021. But they have been banking on the success of their prospects, and it’s finally paying off.
This is their first postseason appearance since 2017 and their first World Series appearance since 2001 (In which they beat the New York Yankees Dynasty in 7 games), and they look hungry for another title. They have had hot bats all postseason and decent pitching. While their opponent did beat one of the “best” teams in baseball, I don’t think that means an automatic win for the Rangers. They’re going to have quite a challenge facing the Diamondbacks (Or as I like to call them, the Answerbacks) who will put up a fight. And not to mention the Rangers had zero wins at home in the ALCS, so I believe it’s possible for the Snakes to take to first two games.
Jude:
The Texas Rangers have had one of the strangest seasons in recent memory. After losing 94 games last year(and over a 100 the year before) the Rangers came into the season with little to no expectation of playoff success. They did possess one of the more talented rosters in the league with players like Adolis Garcia, Mitch Garver, and, of course, the phenomenal Corey Seager. However, Texas had still yet to prove anything since their back-to-back trips to the world series in 2010 and 2011.
Despite the doubters, Texas had a surprise season winning 92 games to finish second in the division and punching their ticket to the playoffs. It is important to note that Texas has been very up an down this entire season. When they get hot, they are absolutely on fire; when they get cold, they look like the Oakland Athletics. Luckily for Rangers fans, Texas is yet to get cold this entire postseason. They beat the Rays in the wild card and swept the top-seeded Orioles.
Against the Houston Astros, the Rangers started off great going up 2-0. However, they would surrender games 3, 4, and 5 to go down 3-2 in the series. Any other team would simply have given up and let the Astros make it back to the World Series; luckily, the Rangers were not done yet. They killed the Astros in games 6 and 7 to make it back to their first world series since 2011.
With all this being said, the Rangers have no easy opponent to face in the Arizona Diamondbacks. The D-Backs have also been a surprise team this year with 3 strait upsets over the Brewers, Dodgers, and Phillies. With strong pitchers in Zac Gallen and Brandon Pfaadt, the Rangers sluggers will have to earn each and every one of their runs.
Nevertheless, I still believe there are a few factors that could swing the series in favor of the Rangers. 1: The Rangers are at their absolute best when they are destroying the baseball. They have had a historic post-season in the slugging department and have had countless clutch bombs by players like Adolis Garcia and Corey Seager. 2. The Rangers pitching staff is no-joke. Nathan Eovaldi and Jordan Montgomery have put up elite performances again and again. While their bullpen is certainly questionable, if they can keep getting elite performances from their starters (and some surprise performances from others like Max Scherzer) they will be a very difficult team to beat in a 7 game series.
After all this time of being stuck in no-mans land, the Texas Rangers find themselves on the biggest stage playing an elite opponent with a real shot at winning. It is hard to imagine that any Rangers fan thought that their team could make a turnaround like this so fast; however, all that matters is now is for the rangers to keep their eye on the prize. If they can do that, then the championship will be as a good as theirs.
Final Predictions
Jude:
While I do believe the Diamondbacks unique pitching staff will pose some challenges to Rangers hitters, and some of the D-backs young talented players could catch Texas off-guard, I believe that Rangers fully have what it takes to get the job done. I believe that they will continue to gets strong starts from their pitchers. If they can hold the Diamondbacks to under 4 runs a game, the Rangers sluggers will take care of the rest. Even if they get into some tight games where the lights are at their brightest, I have no doubt that these Rangers players will be up to the task, and deliver when it is their time to shine. Mark my words now: Rangers in 7.
Isaac:
I believe that either team has a chance to win it, I will admit Texas does have the better pitching staff and bats, but anything can happen in baseball. And this team has showed me that they want to win and when they have that want, they will show you not to be against them! Because take it from me, Texas has a lot of pitchers that can and will blow the game (Aroldis Chapman and Max Scherzer come to mind). So I firmly believe that the Dbacks will take the series in 6 games. SNAKES ALIVE!!