The Opener

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.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day this Halloween:

1. Diamondbacks fall behind at home:

The Diamondbacks dropped the first game of the World Series homestand last night as the Rangers won 3-1. That leaves Arizona trailing in the series, two games to one, as they prepare for Game 4 this evening. As the club did in Game 4 of the NLCS, the Diamondbacks will once again turn to a bullpen game, opened by left-hander Joe Mantiply (4.26 ERA this postseason). Texas, on the other hand, will start lefty Andrew Heaney (6.00 postseason ERA) with righty Dane Dunning (6.00 postseason ERA) and southpaw Cody Bradford (1.35 postseason ERA) as potential piggyback options. Another point of intrigue surrounds second baseman Ketel Marte, who will look to extend his record-breaking playoff hitting streak to 20 consecutive games as he enters the day slashing .333/.362/.545 this postseason. Tonight’s game is slated to begin at 7:03pm CT.

2. Rangers dealing with uncertainty following injuries:

Even as the Rangers took a 2-1 lead in the World Series last night, however, they too face considerable uncertainty going forward. That’s thanks to injuries sustained by two of their key players: outfielder and ALCS MVP Adolis Garcia, who walked off Game 1 of the World Series with an 11th-inning homer but departed yesterday’s game with a left side issue; and veteran right-hander Max Scherzer, who departed his start last night after three innings due to back spasms.

While Garcia underwent an MRI last night, with Rangers manager Bruce Bochy indicating (as relayed by Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today) that the club is “optimistic” regarding their slugger, the chances of Scherzer making another appearance during the series appear far murkier. While Scherzer has indicated he’ll have a better idea of whether or not he can take the mound for Game 7 on Wednesday, it’s fair to wonder if Texas can afford to wait that long before bringing a fresh arm in to replace Scherzer, particularly given the fact that they club is scheduled to play both today and tomorrow.

3. Surgeries for Walls, Cobb could complicate offseason plans:

Both Rays shortstop Taylor Walls and Giants right-hander Alex Cobb were announced yesterday to be undergoing hip surgery. Cobb figures to miss at least the beginning of the 2024 campaign, while Walls is expected to resume baseball activities in February. That puts Opening Day 2024 into down for the infielder, though the Rays are reportedly optimistic about his chances of being ready for the start of the regular season. On the heels of those surgeries, both the Giants and Rays figure to have their offseason to-do lists impacted.

The Giants, now without any surefire starting options beyond Logan Webb for Opening Day 2024, figure to look for starting pitching options this winter aided by a deep class of starting options that includes NPB star Yoshinobu Yamamoto alongside the likes of Blake Snell and Aaron Nola. The Rays, on the other hand, figure to shore up their infield depth this offseason following the loss of Walls, though the free agent crop of shortstop-capable infielders is far less inspiring, with the likes of Amed Rosario and Paul DeJong among the available options.

As the World Series continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. The World Series heads to Arizona:

With the World Series now tied up at one game a piece, the clubs will square off this evening for Game 3 after arriving in Arizona yesterday. On the heels of Merrill Kelly’s one-run nine-strikeout gem in Game 2, the Diamondbacks will turn to right-hander Brandon Pfaadt this evening. Despite posting a lackluster 5.72 ERA in 96 regular season innings this year, Pfaadt has looked good as the club’s third starter this postseason, with a 2.70 ERA across four starts and 16 strikeouts across his last two appearances.

Dominant as he’s looked in recent appearances, however, manager Torey Lovullo has consistently stuck with a quick hook regarding the 25-year-old righty. Pfaadt’s 5 2/3 inning performance against the Phillies in Game 3 of the NLCS is his longest postseason outing to date, and Pfaadt was at just 70 pitches when Lovullo handed the game to the bullpen. We’ll find out tonight whether Pfaadt can keep his recent success up or if he’s earned additional trust from Lovullo and the Arizona front office with his performance this postseason, as the game is set to begin at 7:03pm CT this evening.

2. Scherzer’s playoff homecoming:

Pitching opposite Pfaadt in tonight’s game is veteran ace and future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, who is set to face off against the team that drafted him eleventh overall in the 2006 draft to kick off what has been an illustrious professional career. Scherzer ultimately pitched in just two seasons with the Diamondbacks, posting a 3.86 ERA and 3.73 FIP in 226 1/3 innings of work for the club before being shipped to Detroit in trade. Of course, Scherzer has become one of the league’s finest starters since then, racking up three Cy Young awards and more than 3,000 strikeouts since leaving Arizona.

Scherzer’s homecoming comes with its fair share of question marks for the Rangers. The veteran righty missed over a month with a teres major strain that was initially expected to end his season in mid-September, and he was not at his best upon returning in the ALCS against the Astros. Across two games against Houston this postseason, Scherzer surrendered seven runs in 6 2/3 innings of work for the Rangers, striking out six while walking three and allowing two home runs. In addition to the rust from more than a month away from the mound, however, Scherzer recently revealed he was dealing with a cut near the nail on his thumb that impacted his performance against the Astros, though he added the issue shouldn’t continue to impact him going forward. That should come as a relief to fans in Texas, as a strong start from the 39-year-old would put the Rangers in excellent position to head into Game 4 with a series lead.

3. What are the Angels looking for in a new manager?

While the Red Sox have wrapped up their GM search and the Giants landed Bob Melvin to replace Gabe Kapler as their manager, plenty of front office and managerial searches are continuing around the league in the background of the postseason. Among those searches is that of the Angels, who are looking for a new manager to replace outgoing skipper Phil Nevin. It’s been a somewhat curious search so far, as while reports have indicated that the club prefers to hire a veteran manager to lead the club into an uncertain 2024 campaign, many of the known candidates don’t fit that description.

Former Angels players Benji Gil, Darin Erstad, Torii Hunter, and Tim Salmon are all names reportedly under consideration, despite the fact that no member of that group has experience as a major league manager. Erstad and Salmon have experience as head coaches of collegiate and prep programs, respectively, and but Gil is the only one of the group to serve in a major league dugout since retiring as a player; he’s served on the Anaheim coaching staff since 2022 in addition to several stints as a manager in Mexico. That said, some names who wouldn’t be rookie managers have been floated as well. Former big league managers Buck Showalter and Ron Roenicke have both seen their names come up in relation to the Angels’ manager job, with mutual interest being reported between Anaheim and Showalter in particular.

What’s cooking in the baseball world as we near the end of October….

1. The World Series begins tonight:

Game 1 between the Rangers and Diamondbacks takes places tonight in Arlington, with Nathan Eovaldi on the hill for Texas and Zac Gallen getting the start for Arizona.  Seemingly an unlikely matchup when the playoffs began, the Rangers and D’Backs each pulled off upsets against higher-seeded opponents in every round, and overcame 3-2 deficits in the League Championship Series.  The D’Backs are in the World Series for the second time in franchise history, capturing the title in their first trip to the Fall Classic back in 2001.  Texas is still looking for its first championship after coming up short in two prior World Series appearances in 2010-11.

2. The Padres begin their managerial search:

Now that Bob Melvin is officially the Giants’ new manager, the Padres have a hole to fill in the dugout.  The early buzz is that bench coach Ryan Flaherty and senior advisor Mike Shildt are the favorites to succeed Melvin, and Flaherty will inteview with the Padres today after Shildt spoke with the club Wednesday.  Pitching coach Ruben Niebla might also get an interview before San Diego moves on to explore any potential external candidates.  Even if Flaherty, Shildt, or Niebla indeed up with the manager’s job, it only makes sense that the Padres would do due diligence in lining up some other interviews, just in case an unexpected contender might emerge for the job….

3: Schumaker unhappy in Miami?:

…for instance, maybe another current MLB skipper?  Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that Marlins manager Skip Schumaker is “upset over” the departure of general manager Kim Ng, who declined her end of the mutual option between her and the Marlins for the 2024 season.  Owner Bruce Sherman had planned to essentially demote Ng by hiring a president of baseball operations to work above her, and this naturally didn’t sit well with Ng — or with Schumaker, who was hired by Ng to manage the club just over a year ago.  Schumaker’s first season in Miami resulted in 84 wins and a wild card berth, and he’d surely get interest for other managerial jobs elsewhere, if his displeasure over Ng has led to a reconsideration of his own future with the Marlins.  However, Heyman doesn’t feel the Marlins would let Schumaker explore any other options, as he is under contract through the 2024 season (with a club option for 2025).

Here are three things to watch around the baseball world today…

1. Dusty to retire:

The Astros have a press conference scheduled for today where manager Dusty Baker will announce his retirement. Baker’s managerial career has seen him at the helm of five different clubs, starting with the Giants back in 1993. Most recently, he’s spent the past four years with the Astros, finally winning the elusive championship with them last year. Houston will now join the list of clubs looking for a new manager, alongside the Mets, Angels, Guardians and Padres. The Brewers may join that list if Craig Counsell ends up departing. He’s still under contract for a few more days but has been given permission to interview with the Mets while the Guardians are looking to get that permission as well.

2. World Series Media Day:

The 2023 World Series doesn’t begin until tomorrow, but there’s plenty to talk about. Today is World Series Media Day, with all the players and managers available to speak with the media ahead of the big event. Zac Gallen will take the ball in Game 1 for the Diamondbacks with Nathan Eovaldi on the bump for the Rangers. The D’Backs won it all in 2001, just their fourth season in existence, but this is their first time back since then. The Rangers have been to the Fall Classic twice before, in 2010 and 2011, but are still looking for their first title.

3. Marlins Offseason Outlook:

MLBTR’s Offseason Outlook series is almost complete, with the Marlins up next. That outlook will drop today, with the corresponding team-specific chat scheduled for 3:15 pm Central. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join the chat in progress or read the transcript after.

With the World Series matchup now set, here are three things to keep an eye on today…

1. Diamondbacks’ wild run goes into the World Series:

The Diamondbacks knocked off the Phillies in the NLCS and are now headed to Texas to face the Rangers in the World Series. The D’Backs only won 84 games in the regular season and actually had a run differential of -15, but none of that matters now. They knocked off the Brewers, Dodgers and Phillies to put them in the final showdown, which begins Friday night.

2. Melvin moving on:

It was reported yesterday that the Giants are going to hire Bob Melvin as their manager, after the Padres gave him permission to pursue the gig. The Giants have a press conference scheduled for today and it seems fair to expect that the Melvin move will be made official. That will leave the Padres looking for a new bench boss, joining the Angels, Mets and Guardians as clubs without a manager. The Astros and Brewers could join that list soon with Dusty Baker and Craig Counsell each on expiring contracts.

3. Astros chat:

Yesterday, MLBTR’s Anthony Franco took a look at what could be ahead for the Astros as part of our Offseason Outlook series. Each entry of that series comes with its own team-centric chat where readers can ask questions focused on the club. If you want to chop it up about the Astros, it gets going at 9:30 am Central but you can click here to ask a question in advance.

Three items on the morning docket, including one half of the World Series matchup being finalized…

1. Rangers win the AL pennant:

The Rangers held a 3-0 lead after the first half-inning of Game 7, and an 8-2 lead after the top of the fourth.  Ergo, there ultimately wasn’t much drama as Texas vanquished the Astros by an 11-4 final in the deciding game of the American League Championship Series.  While many of the Rangers’ bats were cooking in the game, the club was led once again by Adolis Garcia, who went 4-for-5 with a pair of solo home runs.  Garcia captured ALCS MVP honors for hitting .357/.400/.893 with five homers and 15 RBI over 30 plate appearances in the seven games, setting a new MLB record for most RBI in a single postseason series.

The road team won all seven games in the unusual series, as the Rangers had to fight back from a 3-2 series deficit by winning both Games 6 and 7 in Houston.  Texas has to hope this road-team trend doesn’t continue, as the Rangers will now hold homefield advantage in the World Series over whichever team comes out of the National League.  The Rangers are 0-2 in their two previous trips to the Fall Classic (in 2010 and 2011), and are still looking for the first championship in franchise history.  As for the Astros, the disappointing loss might lead to some major change heading into 2024, as manager Dusty Baker has indicated that he might be retiring.

2. Mitch Garver’s status:

One downside for the Rangers was a possible injury to Mitch Garver, who was hit in the ribs by a Bryan Abreu pitch in the sixth inning. Garver was in obvious discomfort after the HBP but remained in the game and scored on Nathaniel Lowe’s home run, though he was replaced by a pinch-hitter in his next at-bat.  Garver seemed to be feeling okay when interviewing with Ben Verlander following the game, though the designated hitter underwent some x-rays.

There hasn’t yet been word on the outcome of those tests, but needless to say, there will be some nervousness in Arlington unless Garver is cleared for the World Series.  Acting as the Rangers’ regular DH throughout the playoffs, Garver has hit .294/.368/.529 with two homers in 38 PA, continuing his hot hitting from the regular season.

3. NLCS Game 7:

With one league champion decided, we get to enjoy some more nail-biting Game 7 action tonight when the Phillies host the Diamondbacks in the final game of the National League Championship Series.  Trailing 3-2 in the series heading into yesterday’s Game 6, the D’Backs stayed alive with a 5-1 victory, built on the strength of a three-run rally in second inning.  Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Tommy Pham each hit solo homers, and Ketel Marte continued his bid for NLCS MVP by going 2-for-5 for his fourth multi-hit game of the series.

Brandon Pfaadt (5 2/3 scoreless innings) and Ranger Suarez (5 1/3 shutout frames) each looked very sharp in Game 3 of the NLCS, and they’ll face off again as the scheduled starters for Game 7.  That said, both teams figure to have relatively quick hooks, as pretty much every pitcher on either roster will be available for some usage in the winner-take-all showdown.  On a historical note, this will be the first time in the Phillies’ 141-year franchise history that the club will play a Game 7 of a playoff series.

Here are three things worth monitoring in baseball today, with a chance for the World Series matchup to be locked in by day’s end. It will be the last day of the year with more than one MLB game, so enjoy!

1. NLCS Game 6:

After the Phillies took Game 5 in Arizona, they have a chance to end the series tonight, with Game 6 starting at 4:07pm Central. Doing so would punch their ticket to the World Series for a second straight year. Of course, the Diamondbacks will be looking to take this game and live to fight another day. Aaron Nola will take the ball for the Phils and will be hoping to extend his outstanding postseason run, having thrown 18 2/3 innings over three starts with an ERA of 0.96. As an impending free agent, it feels like he’s earning himself millions of future dollars each time he climbs the hill this month. Merrill Kelly starts for the Snakes, having registered an ERA of 3.00 in his two playoff outings this year.

2. ALCS Game 7:

After a deflating loss in Game 5, the Rangers bounced back with an emphatic victory in Game 6, pushing the series to a seventh game. Strangely, this will be the first winner-take-all game of this year’s postseason, since every Wild Card series was a two-game sweep and none of the Division Series went to five games. Max Scherzer will be starting for the Rangers, making his second appearance after returning from injury. The first one didn’t go so well, as he allowed five earned runs in four innings, but he’ll obviously be hoping for better results tonight. If he and the club are successful, the Rangers will head to the World Series for the first time since 2011. The Astros counter with Cristian Javier, who has an ERA of 1.69 in his two starts this postseason, continuing his trend of clicking in the spotlight. In 43 1/3 playoff innings in his career, his ERA is just 2.08. If the Astros take it tonight, they will return to the World Series for a third straight year and their fifth appearance in the past seven Fall Classics.

As of right now, it’s unknown if Bryan Abreu will be available for the Astros after he received a two-game suspension for Game 5’s fireworks. Abreu appealed that suspension, allowing him to pitch in Game 6 last night, but that appeal will be heard today. Game time is 7:03 pm Central.

3. Managerial musical chairs:

There was a surprising twist out of California yesterday, with the Padres giving manager Bob Melvin permission to speak with their division rivals in San Francisco about their open managerial position. The Giants are one of four clubs with an empty skipper’s chair, along with the Guardians, Mets and Angels, but it seems the Padres might be replacing them on that list. The Brewers could be added as well, with Craig Counsell’s contract set to expire at the end of October, which is just over a week away now.

As the 2023 postseason continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Astros tie up the ALCS:

The Astros secured their second consecutive ALCS victory last night, pummeling the Rangers in Arlington for a 10-3 win. The victory for Houston ties up the series at two, with one more left to play at Globe Life Field this afternoon before the teams return to Houston for Game 5 on Sunday. Veteran second baseman Jose Altuve carried the night for the Astros, recording three hits with two doubles and a walk, scoring three times and knocking in one. Shortstop Corey Seager and outfielder Adolis Garcia tried to keep things competitive for the Rangers, as both went 2-for-4 with a home run, but the Astros bullpen shut down the rest of Texas’s lineup after a shaky 2 1/3 inning start from right-hander Jose Urquidy.

The Rangers will look to avoid being swept out of their three ALCS home games this evening, with the first pitch of Game 5 scheduled for 4:07pm CT. Tonight’s game will feature a rematch between left-hander Jordan Montgomery (3.20 ERA, 2.08 this postseason) and future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander (3.22 ERA, 1.42 this postseason). Montgomery won the pitching duel between the pair in Game 1, during which Verlander allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings of work while the southpaw silenced Houston’s bats for 6 1/3 scoreless frames.

2. DBacks stay in the NLCS with walk-off:

Much of last night’s game was dominated by a pitchers’ duel between Phillies left-hander Ranger Suarez and Diamondbacks righty Brandon Pfaadt, who went 5 1/3 and 5 2/3 scoreless innings, respectively. Pfaadt was particularly impressive, striking out nine while issuing no walks and allowing just two hits. As the game was handed over the the clubs’ bullpens, the game stay relatively low scoring, with first baseman Bryce Harper scoring on a wild pitch to represent Philadelphia’s lone run of the game. In the end, Arizona managed to walk it off on a single off the bat of Ketel Marte as veteran closer Craig Kimbrel struggled for the Phillies, allowing two walks and two hits while recording just one out.

Looking ahead to this evening’s game, which is poised to start at 7:07pm CT, Arizona will try to keep the momentum going and tie the series against Phillies Game 4 starter Cristopher Sanchez. The Diamondbacks, meanwhile, will counter with a bullpen game started by left-hander Joe Mantiply. Right-hander Slade Cecconi is likely Arizona’s best long-relief option ahead of today’s bullpen game, while Sanchez will be backed up by a handful of multi-inning options, including regular season starters Taijuan Walker and Michael Lorenzen.

3. Offseason Outlook Chat:

The Rays installment of of the 2023-24 edition of MLBTR’s Offseason Outlook series was published yesterday, as the club faces a choice between a record payroll in 2024 and radically altering a team that won 99 games this year. If you have any questions about the coming offseason in Tampa following the club being swept out of the Wild Card series at the hands of the Rangers, you can tune in at 11:00am CT for a live chat with MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald. This link will allow you to submit a question in advance, participate live, or read the transcript afterward.