MLB World Series opens Friday with plenty of international baseball alumni
The Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks will face each other in the MLB World Series 2023 starting on Friday. For the Rangers, it is the chance to capture their first title, while the Diamondbacks will try to repeat their achievement of 2001.
For the Rangers, the road to the World Series started in the Wild Card Round, facing the Tampa Bay Rays. Texas won two games to advance to the Divisional Series against the Baltimore Orioles. They swept Baltimore to move to the Championship Series against the Houston Astros, winning the American League pennant in seven games.
The Diamondbacks also started their path at the Wild Card Round, eliminating the Milwaukee Brewers in two games. They swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Divisional Round and needed the seven-game maximum to eliminate the Philadelphia Phillies in the Championship Round and win the National League pennant.
The World Series will be played in a 2-3-2 format, with the two first games at the Globe Life Field in Arlington, three at the Chase Field, and two more at the Globe Life Field. Games 5, 6, and 7 will be played only if needed.
A big international presence
On the Texas Rangers roster appears Travis Jankowski, a 2015 USA Baseball seniors team member, along with Josh Jung (2018 Collegiate Team), Robbie Grossman (2007 U-18), and the superstar Corey Seager a 2010 U-16 US team member. The Cuban fireballer Aroldis Chapman is also part of the team, Chapman represented Cuba at the 2006 U-18 Baseball World Cup, the 2007 IBAF World Cup, and the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
Lourdes Gurriel, the Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder, was part of the 2015 Premier12 Cuban team. Along with him on the Diamondbacks team, Merril Kelly represented USA Baseball at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, just as Evan Longoria did in 2009. Ketel Marte, the NLCS MVP, also participated in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, representing the Dominican Republic. Paul Sewald played for the seniors' team in 2015. Alek Thomas in 2017 and Corbin Carroll in 2018 were part of the USA Baseball U-18 Team.