The Texas Rangers made history on Wednesday night as they defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks to win their first World Series Championship in franchise history.
A franchise that spans over 63 years, first as the Washington Senators, then as the Texas Rangers when the Senators relocated to Texas in 1972, finally won their first championship after coming so close in the 2011 World Series, losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.
The road for the Texas Rangers has not been an easy one since their last postseason appearance in 2016 when the Toronto Blue Jays swept the Rangers in the ALDS. Since that postseason, the Rangers have been at the bottom of the rankings. They were losing season after season until new general manager Chris Young came in and vowed to make changes after losing 102 games in 2021.
With the owners of the Texas Rangers willing to spend the money, Young and his staff brought in Marcus Semien, Jon Gray, and Corey Seager after the 2021 season. Having spent over $500 million in contracts, the Rangers were trending in the right direction after the 2022 season. Seeing an eight-game improvement, Young knew that the Rangers were still a few pieces away from the Rangers contending in the American League.
During the 2022 offseason, the Rangers acquired veteran free-agent pitcher Jacob deGrom in a deal worth $185 million for five years. The Rangers were still not done, as they went after more pitching and acquired veteran pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Andrew Heaney. With the pitching staff in place, the Rangers needed someone experienced enough to lead this team. In comes veteran and three-time World Series manager Bruce Bochy.
A star-studded lineup was the only way Bochy would come out of retirement and manage again. A lineup with Semien and Seager, Josh Jung, Adolis García, Leody Taveras, Nathaniel Lowe, and Jonah Heim was one that Bochy could put together and win. Add some trade deadline acquisitions in Max Scherzer, Aroldis Chapman, and Evan Carter, whom the Rangers called up in September, are reasons why the Texas Rangers are World Series Champions.
This may be just the beginning for the Texas Rangers. With this core lineup locked in for the foreseeable future, not to mention MLB-ready talent in their farm system ready to make an impact. The Rangers are just starting, and Rangers fans are excited to see what the future holds with this team.
Texas Rangers Parade Route
Congratulations to the Texas Rangers on winning their first World Series Championship! The City of Arlington will host a parade for the Texas Rangers on Friday afternoon. The route will start and end at Globe Life Field.
Main Image Credit Embed from Getty Images
