Andrew Heaney Still Waiting To Meet Creed

Bruce Bochy Picked Right Time To Retire

If there was a good time to retire, Bruce Bochy picked it.

He left the game after the 2019 season, having led the San Francisco Giants to three World Series titles and securing his legacy as of the best managers of all-time.

So in his time away, did Bochy watch the World Series? And where did he watch from?

“I did. I watched it from my house,” he said just before the start of Game 1. “I just moved to Nashville, just south of Nashville, College Grove. That’s where I watched it.

“At that time, I’ll be honest, with all that was going on with the COVID and the bubbling of the players, wearing a mask, I said my timing was pretty good on this retirement deal,” he added with a laugh. “So I had no problem sitting in my home watching it, if I couldn’t be there.”

Well, he’s back in the Fall Classic with the Texas Rangers and watching from a much better seat.

Big Game Nate Eyes World Series Title For Texas

Game 1 starter Nathan Eovaldi is a Texas native, growing up in Alvin south of Houston.

He’s won a World Series before – with the Boston Red Sox – but being part of a potential championship in his home state would carry with it a special kind of special. That the Texas Rangers have never won the World Series isn’t lost on Eovaldi.

“That would mean the world,” he said. “It’s an amazing experience. Again, to be able to say you that were part of the first one, you kind of set the foundation for the years to come and you don’t really know what will happen after that.

“But for us to be able to say, ‘Hey, 2023, we were World Series champions,’ it means a lot and there’s a lot that goes into it and a lot of weight to it.”

Eovaldi is 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA during the run to the World Series. No pitcher in MLB history has won five starts in one postseason.

Getting the ball in the opener at Globe Life Field is also meaningful. He’s never made a World Series start.

“Fans have been amazing for us all year long,” Eovaldi said. “We’ve just got to continue to go out there and play our brand of baseball and get the job done.”

Rangers' Mitch Garver Doing Fine After Shot To Ribs

Texas Rangers designated hitter Mitch Garver said that a hitting session during Wednesday's workout at Globe Life Field went well as he recovers from being hit by a pitch in the Game 7 win over the Houston Astros in the ALCS.

X-rays of Garver's ribs revealed no fractures after the game. 

"The swing is fine," Garver said. "(The area) is just sensitive to the touch."

Getting hit by Astros reliever Bryan Abreu wasn't much fun.

"I probably would have yelled an expletive if I could have caught my breath, but I was grasping for air there and could not find it," Garver said.

Which expletives?

"All of them."

Garver took batting practice again Thursday as the Rangers made final preparations for the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Game 1 is Friday at 7:03 p.m. 

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said final determinations about the World Series roster will be made after Thursday's workout, but Garver's optimistic tone leads one to believe he'll be available. 

Rangers, Diamondbacks Head-To-Head History

The Texas Rangers are 28-25 (.528) all-time in 53 regular sea­son games against Arizona, the second-most lifetime meetings with the Dia­mondbacks among the 15 current American League teams. The Houston Astros, who used to be in the National League, have played Arizona 146 times.

Arizona has been Texas’ third-most common NL opponent since interleague play was first introduced in 1997 behind only Houston (91) and the Colorado Rockies (55). Since Houston joined the AL in 2013, Arizona (28) has been Texas’ second-most oft-faced NL opponent to only Colorado (33).

Texas (90-72) and Arizona (84-78) combined for 174 wins in the 2023 reg­ular season, the lowest combined win total ever in a World Series matchup following a full 162-game regular season.

The Rangers outscored their op­ponents 881-716 (+165) in the regular season, while the D-backs were outscored 746-761 (-15). That marks the largest gap in regular-season run differential for a World Series matchup since 1998 (195-run gap), when the New York Yankees (+309) faced the San Diego Padres (+114).

DBacks Planned Flight For DFW Before NLCS Game 7

Much like the Texas Rangers over the last month, the Arizona Diamondbacks have logged their share of frequent-flyer miles crisscrossing the country.

So when the Diamondbacks won the National League pennant Tuesday night by upsetting the Philadelphia Phillies, their flight plan didn’t include another trip back to Phoenix.

“Yeah, instead we’re going to make a left at Oklahoma and head straight south to Dallas,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said after the 4-2 win over the Phillies.

The D-backs stayed the night in Philadelphia and planned to have Wednesday off before beginning workouts in Arlington, not Dallas, on Thursday.

The World Series begins Friday night with the first of two games at Globe Life Field. The best-of-seven shifts to Phoenix for the next three (Game 5 if necessary) before returning to Arlington for Games 6 and 7 if needed.

Texas Rangers designated hitter/backup catcher Mitch Garver did not suffer a serious rib injury after being hit by a pitch in Monday’s Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, according to The Athletic.

Garver took a Bryan Abreu fastball to the ribs in the top of the sixth inning and left the eventual 11-4 win by Texas before his next at-bat. The Athletic reported the Garver did not have any fractures.

Garver’s status for Game 1 of the World Series on Friday is uncertain. The time off before the series begins in Arlington at Globe Life Field should obviously help.

In 11 postseason games, Garver has two home runs, two doubles and 11 RBI.

With the Texas Rangers closing out the Houston Astros and being crowned American League champions on Monday night, FOCO released two commemorative ALCS Champions Bobbleheads featuring series MVP Adolis García and the club mascot Rangers Captain.

The mascot bobblehead will feature the Rangers Captain in an action pose holding an ALCS Champions flag. He stands atop a thematic team base with his name displayed in front and an ALCS Champions backplate with the Rangers logo. This one will retail for $65.

The ALCS MVP bobblehead features García holding the ALCS trophy and wearing a Rangers ALCS Champions themed t-shirt. They also stand atop a thematic team base with their name displayed in front and an ALCS Champions backplate with the team logo. This one will retail for $85.

Both will be limited to 144 units and stand at 8 inches tall, and are available here at FOCO.com.

The Rangers beat the defending champion Astros in seven games, capped by the 11-4 victory at Minute Maid Park. García had a record-breaking series on his way to the MVP, with five home runs – two in Game 7 – and 15 RBI.

Texas is headed to the World Series for the first time in 12 years and the third time overall. The Rangers will face either the Philadelphia Phillies or Arizona Diamondbacks, who play Game 7 of the NLCS on Tuesday night.

The World Series schedule starts Friday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington. The Rangers have the home-field advantage.