World Series Set! Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks Make For Western-Themed Fall Classic
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The Texas Rangers are four wins away from their first World Series title.
Only the Arizona Diamondbacks stand in their way.
The Diamondbacks defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series Tuesday to advance to their second World Series.
Arizona beat the New York Yankees in seven games in their only other appearance in 2001.
The Rangers are back in the World Series for the third time and the first since 2011. Texas has never won a World Series.
This time, unlike against the San Francisco Giants in 2010 and the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011, the Rangers are hosting Games 1 and 2, and Games 6 and 7, if necessary.
Game 1 is set for 7:03 p.m. Friday at Globe Life Field.
The Rangers beat the Houston Astros 11-4 in Game 7 of the ALCS on Monday.
Both the Rangers and D-backs won Games 6 and 7 on the road, a first in MLB postseason history.
The Diamondbacks took three of four from the Rangers during the regular season, including a two-game series on Aug. 21-22 in Phoenix. The teams split two games in Arlington in early May.
Former Rangers manager Jeff Banister, who led the club to consecutive AL West titles in 2015 and 2016, has been the D-backs bench coach since 2022.
At first glance, there may not seem to be much history between Arizona and Texas, but there's this.
The Rangers weren't thrilled with the Diamondbacks' decision to treat their regular-season finale against the Houston Astros like an exhibition game. Arizona's playoff fate was set, but the AL West was still undecided between the Astros and Rangers. The Astros won to sweep the three-game series and the Rangers lost 1-0 at Seattle. The Rangers and Astros finished 90-72 but the Astros earned the AL West title because of a tiebreaker head-to-head advantage.
The D-backs' handling of the finale was enough for Rangers' manager Bruce Bochy to bring it up days later
2023 World Series Schedule (all times CT)
Friday, Oct. 27
Game 1: Diamondbacks at Rangers, FOX (7:03 p.m.)
Saturday, Oct. 28
Game 2: Diamondbacks at Rangers, FOX (7:03 p.m.)
Monday, Oct. 30
Game 3: Rangers at Diamondbacks, FOX (7:03 p.m.)
Tuesday, Oct. 31
Game 4: Rangers at Diamondbacks, FOX (7:03 p.m.)
Wednesday, Nov. 1
Game 5: Rangers at Diamondbacks (if necessary), FOX (7:03 p.m.)
Friday, Nov. 3
Game 6: Diamondbacks at Rangers (if necessary), FOX (7:03 p.m.)
Saturday, Nov. 4
Game 7: Diamondbacks at Rangers (if necessary), FOX (7:03 p.m.)
You can follow Stefan Stevenson on Twitter @StefanVersusTex.
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