Friday newsletter time: ALCS schedule is out, and Rangers aren’t complaining
(AP photo/David J. Phillip)
ARLINGTON — Major League Baseball has revealed the game times for the championship series in both leagues, and Rangers fans are hot.
Two day games? What the …?
Well …
Not every game in the postseason can be played a night, and it’s been that ways for years and years. MLB is trying to get through the postseason within the terms of its TV deal, and each league is playing a championship series. Something has to give.
It turns out that each league will potentially have two day games. The Rangers’ two day games are scheduled on getaway days, meaning that a potential Game 7 would be at night. Also, the teams won’t have any long late-night flights.
Considering that the Rangers are only traveling 200 miles, this a good outcome (it’s also good for the Astros). The NL teams will be flying from Philadelphia to Phoenix and possibly back again if the series goes to a sixth game.
The World Series will not have days games, because it’s the only series and can be played exclusively in prime time.
Anyhoo, here’s the schedule:
Game 1: 7:15 p.m. Sunday (Fox/FS1)
Game 2: 3:37 p.m. Monday (FS1)
Game 3: 7:03 p.m. Wednesday (FS1)
Game 4: 7:03 p.m. Thursday (FS1)
Game 5: 4:07 p.m. Friday (FS1)*
Game 6: 7:03 p.m. Oct. 22 (FS1)*
Game 7: 7:03 p.m. Oct. 23 (Fox/FS1)*
* if necessary
Coming home?
The Rangers with home-field advantage in the World Series? It could happen thanks to the Phillies eliminating the Braves, the winningest team in baseball during the regular-season, on Thursday night.
First, the Rangers must beat the Astros. If they do, it wouldn’t matter which team wins the National League for the Rangers to host Game 1 of the Fall Classic.
The Rangers won six more games than Arizona, which backed into the postseason with a lackluster final weekend that enabled the Astros to win the AL West on a tiebreaker. The Rangers would host over the Diamondbacks based on having the better record.
The Rangers and Phillies each won 90 games, but the Rangers would have the tiebreaker by virtue of their head-to-head record with the Phillies from way back in March and April.
Remember the season-opening series? The Rangers swept all three games, including the finale on Sunday Night Baseball.
Who says April games aren’t important?
Also at Globe Life Field …
While the Rangers were working out Thursday at Globe Life Field, with the pitchers doing their throwing in right field, a group of minor-leaguers who are staying active in case of an injury were working out in left field.
Among the players there were right-handers Jack Leiter and Yerry Rodriguez, left-handers Antoine Kelly and Danny Duffy, catcher Sam Huff and outfielder Dustin Harris.
The minor-leaguers, most of them on the 40-man roster, have been working out since the Triple A season ended in late September. They started working out at Double A Frisco, then came to Globe Life Field when the Rangers were on the road in the wild-card round, had another day in Frisco and returned to Arlington.
The likelihood that anyone from the group, which also includes first-round pick Wyatt Langford, is needed is remote.
Card of the Week
I’ve got to be honest: We’re running out of Rangers rookie cards to highlight.
This one, though, is overdue, yet also timely based on his performance in the final two games of the division series.
Mitch Garver collected seven RBIs in the victories in Games 2 and 3, with four of them coming on one swing in Game 2.
So, the Card of the Week is Garver’s 2018 Topps Heritage rookie.
There has been a good deal of discussion about what the Rangers should do with Garver after the season. He is entering free agency for the first time and coming off a nice season in which he hit 19 home runs after overcoming an early-season knee injury.
His power would be welcomed, and the Rangers have need for a backup catcher/designated hitter. Re-signing him makes sense, though not for the qualifying offer.
But does it make sense for Garver, who wants to catch more than he would with Jonah Heim on the roster? The Rangers might also be able to use that Garver money elsewhere, like on relief help.
Doggy video!
My son asking me for ALCS tickets. Enjoy.
— out of context dogs (@contextdogs) October 11, 2023
Jeff Wilson, jeff@rangerstoday.com
I think giving Garver the qualifying offer is the only way you get him to re-sign here short-term.
You’re not going to give him a multi-year offer, so you’d hope he sees $20 million for one year as a fair deal for a guy with an injury history.
Plus, by giving him the QO, wouldn’t the Rangers get compensation if he signs elsewhere?
If the Rangers let Garver go, they’re only going to be looking for somebody like him as a replacement. (Please, not Robbie Grossman)
And what are they going to have to pay for a good DH replacement?
They can’t expect to go into the season with Langford as their DH.
I don’t see the money they have to spend on the bullpen and the cost of a good DH as being mutually exclusive.
They blew the QO on Martin Perez. It makes sense to give one to Garver, especially given that his age and position should net him a higher total value in free agency. If he wants to catch, he may reject it. Texas should try to get another draft pick from him if they lose him. I think it’s worth it. Perez was certainly accepting, but Garver may not. He has a track record of being elite, while Perez had only 1 season in his career that wasn’t terrible or essentially average.