MLB season comes to an end; History has been made
By JACOB CORMAN
After a long-awaited 63 seasons, Ranger’s fans finally get to celebrate in the streets of Arlington. The Texas Rangers are 2023 World Series Champions for the first time in franchise history, defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-1 in a series best of seven. The 2023 MLB postseason presented fans with many surprising results and several competitive series. Two teams with a below .400 percent winning record just two seasons ago defeated all adversity and made it to the end of this year’s postseason.
The young and inexperienced Arizona Diamondbacks clinched the last spot in the Wild Card with just one game left in the regular season. Coming into the postseason as the seventh-seed, expectations were low and many predicted a first-round exit.
“I didn’t think they would make it past the first round. They were a very young team with not many star players and a lack of experience. I was shocked to see them make it to the World Series” senior Bellefonte baseball player Ethan Tomassaci said.
Even with a lack of star power and an inexperienced roster, they were able to comfortably handle the Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild Card, defeating them 2-0 in a series best of three. Leading up to the National League Division Series (NLDS) round, they had a hefty task facing the star-oriented Los Angeles Dodgers roster. The belief within this team continued to decrease substantially throughout the baseball world. Fighting an uphill battle the whole season, the Diamondbacks once again proved baseball fans wrong. Not only defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers, they were also able to dominate the series winning it 3-0 in a series best of five.
The Diamondbacks continued their postseason run, defeating the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies in arguably one of the most competitive series of the postseason. Falling down two games to none, they were able to go back to Arizona and win two of three games making the series 3-2 in favor of the Phillies. Similar to what they did all season, they defeated all odds and took the final two games in Philadelphia clinching a World Series berth.
“The Diamondbacks wanted it more. I thought heading back to Philadelphia with a 3-2 lead in the series, the Phillies had the series wrapped up. Credit to the Diamondbacks, they played their best baseball and proved the baseball world wrong once again” BAHS senior Phillies fan, Trevor Johnson, said.
Although the Diamondbacks fell short in the World Series losing to the Texas Rangers, the remarkable run they were able to put together was astonishing to baseball fans. Defeating all adversity and climbing an uphill battle all season, they left it all out on the field. Leaving Diamondback fans proud and grateful for the season they put together.
The path the Texas Rangers took to the World Series was quite different from the path the Diamondbacks took. Finishing the regular season with a 90-72 record, they were able to clinch the fourth seed in the playoffs setting them up for a comfortable path to the World Series. A roster with several stars and tons of power is what the team relied on throughout their postseason run. Led by two-time all-star, World Series MVP, and former Rookie of the Year, Corey Seager.
The Rangers were able to fly by and dominate the first two series, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 in a series best of three in the Wild Card. And defeated the young and talented Baltimore Orioles 3-0 in a series best of five in the ALDS. Heading into the American League Championship Series (ALCS), their backs were against the wall facing the reigning World Series Champions, the Houston Astros.
The Houston Astros have dominated the game of baseball in recent years making an appearance in four of the last seven World Series. However, this did not fear the relentless and talented Rangers lineup. The Rangers were able to steal the first two games of the ALCS in Houston, heading back home to Texas with a more than ideal-spot in the series. Similar to what the Astros have done in the past, they were able to take all three games in Texas, giving themselves a 3-2 lead in the series heading back to Houston with two games remaining. The Rangers once again put their backs up against the wall having to climb a steep hill to win the remaining two games in Houston. Fighting through all adversity and showing their resilience, the Texas Rangers were able to win both games clinching a spot in the World Series and perhaps getting their first World Series title in franchise history.
Heading into the World Series, Rangers fans and the city of Arlington’s confidence continued to grow and hope began to arise that they may get their first-ever World Series title. Facing the young and inexperienced Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas began to grow as a heavy favorite to win it all. This wasn’t going to stop the Diamondbacks though. Their backs had been up against the wall all season and they continued to prove fans wrong left and right.
The Texas Rangers offense ended up being too much for the Diamondbacks pitching staff and were able to comfortably put an end to the Diamondback’s season and gain their first-ever World Series title in franchise history. Let the party begin in Arlington!
