The Texas Rangers are World Series champions after a 5-0 Game 5 shutout against the Arizona Diamondbacks. A pitching gem from Nathan Eovaldi and some clutch top-of-the-order hitting helped make history for the 62-year-old franchise. Shortstop Corey Seager was named World Series MVP, becoming just the second position player after Reggie Jackson to win the award multiple times. Seager was previously named World Series MVP with the Dodgers in 2020. Furthermore, Game 5 came exactly 13 years after the Rangers lost the 2010 World Series to the Giants. In a twist of fate, then-Giants manager Bruce Bochy was the one to lead the Rangers to this year's title.
Beyond a 9-1 drubbing in Game 2, the Rangers were in firm control of the World Series from start to finish. Arizona was never able to find a consistent answer to the Rangers, especially the team's penchant for late-inning heroics. Furthermore, the Rangers were unstoppable on the road throughout the playoffs. They went a perfect 11-0 away from Globe Life Field.
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Rangers Make History
“We’ve just got a group of winners. When the bus driver’s driving slow, we tell him, `Hey man, you know you’re driving a group of winners,' so we believed it through and through. Maybe we struggled at home, but we got it done on the road, and we’ve got a special group," first baseman Nathaniel Lowe said after the shutout win. Meanwhile, starter Nathan Eovaldi, 5-0 on the postseason, praised the team effort. “I kind of joked around: I don’t know how many rabbits I have in my hat. I didn’t really do a great job tonight in attacking the zone. But our defense, incredible again.”
With the Rangers' win, just five MLB teams remain without a World Series title. The Rockies, Brewers, Mariners, Padres, and Rays are all without a Fall Classic trophy. Furthermore, the Mariners remain the only team in the league without a World Series appearance. However, with the World Series decided, the league turns to an equally historic offseason. Leading the free agency class is Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani, who is widely expected to leave the Angels and pursue a winning culture.
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