The convincing wins in Tampa on Tuesday and Wednesday were noteworthy for many reasons, but perhaps mainly because the Rangers ended the regular season by losing the American League West division title to the rival Houston Astros. On top of that, the team had lost both of its new, high-priced, high-profile starting pitchers, Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer, to injury during the season, and things didn’t seem to be shaping up for a positive result against the favored Rays.
But that was then. The Rangers’ bats provide timely hitting and run production during the two-game sweep of Tampa Bay, and the starting pitching in both games was everything fans would have hoped for and more, with Jordan Montgomery and Nathan Eovaldi — both of whom were new additions to the squad in 2023 — shutting down the usually dangerous team from the American League East.
And now, word has come down that Scherzer, the fireballing future Hall of Famer acquired in an August trade, might just be ready to rock sooner than expected. His arm and leadership will come in handy against the AL East champion Baltimore Orioles, a team that has enjoyed a return to prominence similar to the Rangers'.
Two star-studded offenses meet up in the #ALDS on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/k1Lommq54C
— MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2023
Rangers-Orioles Season Series
The two teams didn't play against each other much in 2023, but when they did, things were relatively even, with the six games split 3–3. Oddsmakers aren’t leaning too heavily in one direction or another, with the DraftKings sportsbook showing a pick ‘em on the moneyline.What About the Orioles?
The Orioles have made 2023 a year to reintroduce themselves to the world in a new, winning way. Baltimore won the tough AL East with a 101-61 record, its best season since 1979. Also, like the Rangers, the Orioles have not been to the playoffs since 2016. Relying on an exciting young core, led by arguably the best catcher in baseball, Adley Rutschman, the Orioles' success is a bigger surprise than that of the Rangers’ this year.The Schedule
Unlike the wild-card round, the division series (ALDS) is best-of-five. Notably, Saturday’s game will take place while much of the state is also trying to watch the annual Texas vs. Oklahoma Red River Rivalry college football clash.- Game 1: Rangers at Orioles, Saturday, Oct. 7, noon, FS1.
- Game 2: Rangers at Orioles, Sunday, Oct. 8, 3:07 p.m., FS1.
- Game 3: Orioles at Rangers, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 7:03 p.m., FOX.
- Game 4: Orioles at Rangers, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 6:07 p.m., FS1 (if necessary).
- Game 5: Rangers at Orioles, Friday, Oct. 13, 7:03 p.m., FS1 (if necessary).
