If you bet $10 on a Rangers-Diamondbacks World Series matchup before the Major League Baseball season began, you would have won $17,510 according to John Ewing, a BetMGM data analyst. Although these teams were not the favorites coming into the season, the Rangers and Diamondbacks kept winning games to advance to the 2023 World Series.
This year, the Rangers won 90 games and took down all the contending teams in the American League playoffs. First in the wildcard round, they beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0. Then, the Rangers swept the Baltimore Orioles in three games, defeating the first seed in the American League while maintaining their perfect postseason record.
However, when the Rangers had to face their division and in-state rivals, the Houston Astros, many predicted another World Series trip for the previous champions because of their postseason experience. With the American League Championship title on the line, the series went the maximum of seven games with the Rangers prevailing 4-3.
Alden González, a baseball reporter for ESPN, said, “[The Rangers] lost all three games played in their home park during the American League Championship Series, highlighted by a gut-wrenching loss in Game 5, but then came back to win two straight in Houston to advance to the World Series.”
While the Texas Rangers proved their power this season with the most hits and runs batted in (RBIs) in the American League, the Arizona Diamondbacks were deemed the underdogs this postseason. They were also surrounded by various star-studded teams in the National League. Coming into the playoffs as the lowest seed, the Diamondbacks were similar to the Rangers in that they went undefeated until the Championship series. They first swept the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 and then took down the winner of their division, the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-0 before facing the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Phillies were the favorites in the seven-game set, looking to go back to the World Series for the second year in a row, and went up 2-0 to start the series. Then, the Diamondbacks won game three on a walk-off and secured game four to tie up the series. Although they could not win their last game at home, the Diamondbacks went into Philly’s rowdy stadium and won both elimination games to earn their spot in the World Series.
Mike Hazen, the general manager for the Diamondbacks, could not believe their success after the National League pennant win.
He said, “I didn’t really even anticipate us getting to this moment. It’s the end of October, and we’re still playing baseball. That’s what I think about every day when I wake up — and we have at least four more baseball games to go.”
Even with these teams taking similar paths, the Diamondbacks remain the underdog because of the veterans on the Rangers’ roster.
Buster Olney, a sports journalist for ESPN, said, “Corey Seager has been a World Series MVP. Nathan Eovaldi is cemented as one of the best postseason pitchers of his generation. Bruce Bochy has three championship rings.”
The Rangers are seen as the stronger team in terms of odds after taking hitting, pitching, and defense into consideration.
“As for the World Series betting market, the Rangers have opened as heavy favorites to win it all at -170. Conversely, the Diamondbacks’ title odds opened at +140,” said Fox Sports.
This World Series matchup started Friday, Oct. 27, and is predicted to go much further than the minimum four games. The Rangers are searching for their first World Series title in franchise history, while the Diamondbacks are looking for their second after winning it all on a walk-off in 2001. Tune in for the games on FOX to see these teams compete for the highest achievement in their sport.