The work Texas Rangers did in the regular season led to home-field advantage in the World Series despite starting every American League playoff round on the road.
But why? Why do the Rangers, a team that blew the AL West division title on the last day of the regular season, get to start the World Series at Globe Life Field?
Simple: MLB rules.
According to the MLB postseason ruling, the team with the higher regular-season win percentage earns the home field for the World Series, regardless of division title or Wild Card berth. The Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies all finished as Wild Card teams, but Texas posted 90 wins.
The Diamondbacks, this year's Cinderella squad that swept both the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers, finished 84-78 during the regular season. The Snakes would automatically hit the road regardless of which team claimed victory at Minute Maid Monday evening due to the lesser record.
But the Phillies, who finished 90-72 alongside Houston and Texas, would have a case to home Games 1 and 2, along with 6 and 7, if necessary, at Citizens Bank Park. That's only if the Astros were to claim the AL title.
Thanks to a season-opening sweep, the Rangers own the tiebreaker over the Phillies. First pitch time for Game 1 has yet to be announced, though one should expect a 7 p.m. start time.
Texas won all four games at Minute Maid Park to secure the AL Pennant over its instate rival. Against postseason star Cristian Javier, the Rangers plated three runs in the first, one coming on a solo home run from Corey Seager.
Adolis Garcia, who sealed the 9-2 victory in Game 6 with a ninth-inning grand slam, picked up where he left off early Monday, driving in rookie Evan Carter with run-scoring single in the first. Garcia also launched a 368-foot solo shot to right field in the fourth to extend Texas' lead by three and homered again in the eighth.
The Diamondbacks and Phillies will square off Tuesday evening at "The Bank" to determine which team heads to Arlington for Friday night's first pitch.
Simple: MLB rules. According to the MLB postseason ruling, the team with the higher regular-season win percentage earns the home field for the World Series, regardless of division title or Wild Card berth.
— The team with the higher regular-season win percentage earns the home field, regardless of whether that team won its division title or a wild-card berth. That means playing host to Games 1-2 and 6-7 (if necessary).
The Rangers finished the 2023 season with a 90-72 record, losing the AL West title to the Houston Astros on a tiebreaker. On November 1, 2023, the Rangers won the World Series after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games, achieving their first World Series championship in franchise history.
A 2008 Harvard study on home-court advantage discovered a link between the teams that won and the teams that rested the most prior to a game. It suggested that those who had to travel to a visiting arena would be less rested and therefore put up less of a fight.
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We are officially a month into the MLB season, and the Dodgers and Braves remain favorites to win the World Series. The Los Angeles Dodgers are 18-12 straight up (SU) and sit at the top of the oddsboard at +360.
It can't be stated enough how many runs the defense saved Rangers pitchers last season, especially in the playoffs. According to Las Vegas oddsmakers, the Rangers have the sixth-best chance to win the 2024 World Series.
The franchise has won two World Series championships (against Kansas City in 1980, Tampa Bay in 2008), and eight National League pennants. In its 127-season history, the franchise has employed 51 managers and 10 general managers (GMs).
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The Seattle Mariners are the only MLB franchise that has never appeared in a World Series; the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, and Colorado Rockies have all played in the Series but have never won it.
Texas Rangers owner Ray Davis invested heavily in his team. Over the last two years, he has committed over $800 million in free agent contracts and built a club with a franchise-record payroll near $240 million for 2023.
Once you get to the Divisional round, the same seeding rules apply, with the lowest remaining seed playing the 1 seed (who has automatic home field advantage for the entirety of the Playoffs), the second lowest remaining seed playing the second highest, and so on.
The Texas Rangers were part of another agency, but their duties essentially were the same as they had been for years. Rangers were called upon to enforce the state's laws, with particular emphasis on felony crimes, gambling and narcotics. Rangers also were used in riot suppression and in locating fugitives.
This is known as home-field advantage. In the one-off Wild Card Games, the team with the better regular-season record gets home-field advantage. In the Division Series, the two division champions in each league with the best regular-season record are given home-field advantage.
Introduction: My name is Merrill Bechtelar CPA, I am a clean, agreeable, glorious, magnificent, witty, enchanting, comfortable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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