As the calendar flips to November, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Rangers attempt to clinch:
Despite losing ALCS MVP Adolis Garcia and future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer for the remainder of the series yesterday, the Rangers saw an explosion of offense early in the game allow them to pull ahead 3-1 in the series despite being outscored 1-7 by the Diamondbacks after the third inning of last night’s game. Now, the Rangers have the opportunity to clinch their first-ever World Series victory for the first time since 2011, when they were up over the Cardinals three games to two after Game Five but lost the final two games of the series, allowing the Cardinals to come back and win the series in seven. Tonight they’ll rely on veteran right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, who has a career 3.30 ERA in the postseason but surrendered five runs on six hits in just 4 2/3 innings of work during his first start of the series, to bring an end to the club’s 62-year championship drought.
2. Diamondbacks look to survive:
Meanwhile, Arizona is staring down a win-or-go-home Game Five tonight after dropping two consecutive games at home. For tonight, they’ll look to take the series back to Arlington and stave off elimination with Zac Gallen on the mound. Gallen put in a performance worthy of NL Cy Young award consideration during the regular season, posting a 3.47 ERA and 3.27 FIP while notching 220 strikeouts in 210 innings of work and collecting 17 wins for Arizona throughout the season. Things have come off the rails for Gallen in the postseason, however. In 27 1/3 innings of work this postseason, Gallen has mustered only a 5.27 ERA with six home runs allowed, a 15.3% strikeout rate and a walk rate of 11%.
As Gallen looks to turn his postseason around this evening, Ketel Marte will look to extend an otherworldly hitting streak after becoming the first player in MLB history to record a hit in 20 consecutive postseason games. That record is a capstone on what was already a fantastic postseason for Marte, who has slashed .338/.365/.549 with a 145 wRC+ that’s outpaced by only Garcia, Evan Carter, and Corey Seager among players still in the hunt. Marte will try to extend the postseason hitting streak to 21 tonight at 7:03pm CT.
3. Counsell’s market solidifying:
Another suitor for free agent manager Craig Counsell was revealed yesterday, with the Astros reportedly throwing their hat into the ring alongside the Mets, Guardians, and incumbent Brewers. It’s unclear how strong the interest in Counsell is from Houston; the club’s reported top two candidates for the position are bench coach Joe Espada alongside former Tigers and Angels manager Brad Ausmus, though it’s possible that could change if Counsell is interested in joining the Astros. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported yesterday that Counsell is currently “weighing his options” after meeting with both the Mets and Guardians, though he also cautioned that there isn’t a clear timeline for his decision at this point. That said, with the start of free agency on the horizon, all interest clubs are surely hoping to have a manager in place sooner rather than later.
Rangers got this.
Yeah I’d be shocked to see them blow a 3-1 lead, but crazier things have happened. They’re too good to let this slip away.
sfes: It looks like what happened to the Phillies against the Diamondbacks is now happening to the DBacks: They stopped hitting, especially in clutch situations. Against the Phils, AZ scored a lot of runs. Now that’s what the Rangers are doing to AZ.
avenger65: honestly going this far with a negative run differential is a hell of an accomplishment for them. A lot of good young talent. That’s why you have to love October baseball. Just get in and it’s a whole new short season. Crazy but I love it.
Hitting is important.
I remember a hilarious moment earlier in the playoffs when Derek Jeter talked about how his Yankees were up 3-0 in the ALCS, and still went on to lose the series. David Ortiz said, “You did?!!! What happened?” Jeter didn’t think that was funny, but he set himself up for it.
The 04 ALCS is easily the best series of baseball I’ve ever watched
It’d be hard to see him leave Milwaukee considering his ties there, but money talks. If he leaves and wants to win now then obviously Houston is the best fit of those suitors. He’ll make his money though. Id love to see what he could do without payroll limitations along with smart decision making (which they had in MIL)
DBacks are done. Nice run, but done.
Likely, but any team can win three in a row.
I am hoping on 5 because I said Texas in 5. Oh yeah
I’m hoping for 5 for the selfish reason that I’m ready for this train wreck of a season to officially end and the off season to begin.
With Cashman making the decisions – the Yanks have no shot.
Cashman is a glorified t-ball organizer.
If you could turn back time, would you want them to sign Seager?
To be honest, at the time, I wanted Semien.
Though if I could turn back time, I’d start with hanging up the phone with Miami and just wait to sign Harper.
At the time I wanted Story haha! I guess I was an idiot and shouldn’t be a GM.
Looks like they’re going to successfully buy a title. Sad that I predicted teams with homegrown talent to win out.
Only 2 positions were free agents in the lineup there boss. Pretty tough to make a case for buying a title.
Seriously, like teams shouldn’t sign free agents to try to win.
Of course they should sign free agents, but they should have a stable homegrown core to supplement them with. The 2009 Yankees are a prime example of spending money while having a homegrown core. You’re coping because you know they’re about to buy it.
They have 2-3 (if you count the rookie that had 60 AB’s) impactful homegrown position players in their everyday lineup, plus their entire rotation was bought/traded for. Nearly the entire team is comprised of Free agents. over the last 2 years they spent over a billion adding Seager, Semien, DeGrom, and others. Delusional.
This is a silly take. The majority of the team was either a non impactful trade where texas finished off a player’s development (Heim, Lowe) or a cast off from another franchise (Garcia) who figured it out in Texas, to go along with the homegrown guys (Jung, Carter, Traveres). I guess you’re a salty Mets or Padres fan because you tried to buy a ring and failed miserably?
Apparently, you’re the only one who cares. Your backside is hurt over how a team wins a ring…
Surprised a Rangers “fan” thinks they bought 2 players LOL. Seager, Semien, Gray, Heaney, Garver equal more than 2. But then again their fanbase is the most intellectually disabled of all the fanbases.
Spending $800 million on those players constitutes buying their WS this year, but hey a WS is a WS.
Maybe the Yankees did do it right all these years
Such a stupid take from what I presume is a salty astros fan who has too much sand in your vag.
Chris Young the gm brought in players who wanted to build something and be a part of a new era of ranger baseball. The year before they still sucked. Chris young did not just “buy a ring” he assembled a team that consisted of homegrown talent and stars who wanted to be here. Bochy was the final piece. Its one thing to just buy players. It is a totally different thing to have a vision and execute it. How many superstar FA are going to a losing roster? What he did was nothing short of incredible. Anyone who argues otherwise or says it is not as impactful is just salty. We cannot all be the lastros and suck for a decade just to overload the farm. What sucks for the AL is that the rangers have prospects that will come up in the next 2-3 years and what will your argument be then?
Hard to miss on prospects when you are constantly picking top 5. But hey we cannot all draft Mark Appel.
It still takes skill to buy a championship. Higher payroll teams have struggled to do so.
He’s using all those teams to drive the compensation up for the Brewers. He’s not leaving the Brewers and that was clear when he almost signed with them and pulled back. The reason why this happened, he was told that the compensation could go higher if he allowed competition for his services. I believe that advice came from Mr. Stearns himself. So he’s not going anywhere but Milwaukee and you can take that to the bank.
Dream on.
> and you can take that to the bank.
What about taking it to an ATM that isn’t my bank? Will it still get to my bank? And will I have to pay all of those pesky fees again? Last time that happened, Genevieve got bent out of shape because we nearly overdrafted. So I took out an ARM loan and it left me without my left leg. I don’t want to have that happen again—I would be left with zero legs and two ARM loans.
I hope the Astros hire Brad Ausmus. He would be perfect for them.
Hahahaha I’d love to see that too
Josh McDaniels is now available and would suit them well.
Dbacks got this! They play best when they are the underdog and everyone says they have no chance! Their 3 best pitchers are lined up for the final 3 games. Gallen has been lights out all season when pitching at home. Kelly will prevail again on the road in Arlington. Then Pfaadt will pitch the game of his life in game 7 to win it all! Dbacks in 7!
I admire your spirit, kid.
Can’t count them out, my Cubs were down 3-1 and they won it in 2016.
I’ve enjoyed watching the D-backs. They are a very fine team, well rounded, good manager.
As do the Rangers
There sure are a lot of teams oblivious to the mistake of hiring Craig Counsell.
Hopefully the Rangers clinch tonight. Fitting karma for all those Diamondbacks fans laughing about Max and Adolis’ injuries on social media.
Despite having an inconsistent bullpen and an offense very streaky all season the rangers got this. Boch for #4
Bochy is adding to that World Series collection it seems. If he goes for the jugular, Rangers will clinch. Just throw the entire kitchen sink at Arizona.
I expected a 4 or 5 game win. I was right.