Ranger Rings! 💍

11/02/2023

By: Jeff Yoder

Texas Rangers Win Game 5 (5-0) Behind Eovaldi’s Shutout & Celebrate Franchise’s 1st World Series Title

After 63 years and three trips to the Fall Classic, the Texas Rangers are (finally) World Series champions! Another road win was the story on Wednesday in Phoenix as Nathan Eovaldi spun a shutout and the Rangers plated four runs in the 9th to secure their first title. Corey Seager won his 2nd World Series MVP and joined an exclusive list, and Bruce Bochy just added to his managerial legacy. So many storylines, so little time.

What Happened in Game 5?

The Rangers and D-Backs played a scoreless opening six innings as Texas rode the arm of Nathan Eovaldi (6 IP, 5 Ks, 4 Hits, 0 Runs). The Rangers found the go-ahead run in the 7th, and it was 1-0 heading down the stretch. In the 9th, Jonah Heim hit a single up the middle that was mishandled in center field. That led to extra bases and a 3-0 lead. Moments later, Marcus Semien crushed a two-run shot, and the Rangers could feel it. Texas closer Josh Sborz went three-up, three-down to close it out, and the celebration began.

Bigger in Texas: 3rd Time’s the Charm

The World Series victory was a long time coming for Rangers fans — 63 years to be exact. Texas reached the World Series twice (back-to-back) in 2010 and 2011, but they lost to the Giants and Cardinals, respectively. The third time’s the charm! Fans might remember how Texas went BIG in the 2021 offseason when they allocated half a billion (almost $500M) to the free-agent acquisitions of Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, and Jon Gray. This year, they added two pitchers before the deadline in Jordan Montgomery and Max Scherzer. Then Adolis Garcia turned into a machine. Texas spent all of the regular season dueling with the Astros and Mariners for a postseason spot, but once they got into October, they shined.

World Series MVP: Corey Seager

No surprise here. Corey Seager homered in three of the first four games of the Fall Classic. He went 2-for-4 on Wednesday night and finished the World Series 6-for-22 with 3 HRs and 6 RBIs. Seager is the fourth player in MLB history to win multiple World Series MVP awards (Dodgers, 2020). The other three are Hall of Famers: Reggie Jackson, Bob Gibson, and Sandy Koufax.

Bruce Bochy’s Legacy Cemented

We already knew Bruce Bochy was heading to the Hall of Fame, but winning his fourth World Series title — the first outside of San Francisco — cemented his legacy. Bochy’s 26-year managerial career is full of ups and downs, but three titles with the Giants (2010, 2012 and 2014) and one in Texas is enough to make him the sixth manager ever with four titles. He beat the Rangers in that 2010 championship, and now he’s brought Texas their first World Series in franchise history.

Watch: Rangers Blank D-Backs (5-0) to Win 1st World Series

Congrats to the Texas Rangers, your 2023 World Series champs!

FOX Sports: Rangers Redemption: At Long Last, Texas Wins Its 1st World Series

CBS Sports: “We Didn’t Care Where We Were” — Rangers’ World Series Concludes With 11-0 Road Record

Photo: Daniel Shirey / Getty Images