Game: Arizona Diamondbacks @ Texas Rangers
Time: 8:03 p.m.
Odds: Diamondbacks +140, Rangers -153
Total: 8.5
When he takes the mound in Game 1 of the World Series in Arlington, Texas, tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi could write his name in history. Eovaldi (4-0, 2.42 ERA) wants to make playoff history by being the first pitcher to win five starts. Three pitchers have won five postseason games: Francisco Rodriguez (2002), Randy Johnson (2001), and Stephen Strasburg (2019). However, all three of them did so while pitching out of relief.
In a 9-2 victory over the Houston Astros in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Sunday, Eovaldi gave up two runs on five hits in 6.1 innings. In 26 innings during the postseason, the Texas native has struck out 28 batters with just four walks.
Eovaldi is no stranger to the Fall Classic alone, despite this being his first career start in a World Series. In the 2018 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he made three appearances for the Boston Red Sox as a reliever. Eovaldi was the losing pitcher in a dramatic Game 3 of that series when he gave up Max Muncy’s walk-off home run. In that game, Eovaldi pitched six-plus innings of relief and gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits. In his eight career appearances (five starts), Eovaldi is 3-0 with a 2.78 ERA against the Diamondbacks.
Ketel Marte was the MVP of the National League Championship Series and enters Friday’s postseason game riding a 16-game hitting streak. If Marte scores another run on Friday, he will join Hank Bauer, Manny Ramirez, and Derek Jeter as the only players to score runs in 17 straight postseason games. This season, Marte went 6-for-14 and joined Christian Walker in hitting three home runs to help the Diamondbacks win three of their four games against the Rangers.
Right-hander Zac Gallen (2-2, 5.24), making his World Series debut, will get the ball for Arizona. Gallen will look to bounce back from a pair of rough outings in the National League Championship Series. In two losses to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS, Gallen, 28, gave up nine runs on 14 hits, including five home runs, in 11 innings pitched.
On August 22, Gallen and Arizona defeated Texas 6-3 after he pitched six innings, striking out eleven and giving up one run. In his three career starts against the Rangers, he is 1-1 with a 3.57 ERA.
Around Corey Seager and ALCS MVP Adolis Garcia, Gallen will have to be careful. Seager is 15-for-45 (.333) with three home runs, six RBIs, and twelve runs in the postseason. Garcia is 10-for-28 (.357) with five home runs and fifteen RBIs in the ALCS.
The Rangers have won nine of their last 12 games. The D-Backs have won four of their last five and six of their last eight on the road. The Over could be in play tonight. The Over has cashed in 13 of the Rangers last 18 home games and in four of the last five against Arizona at home.
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