Diamondbacks Will Even Series In Bullpen Game

Rangers vs. Diamondbacks, Game 4, 8:03 ET

I know there is an East Coast bias, and a West Coast bias. I'm also sure that Major League Baseball probably wasn't thrilled that Arizona beat Philadelphia in terms of ratings. However, we've been treated to a pretty solid first three games in the World Series. I've also gotten us a 2-1 record in the first three games, which isn't perfect, of course, but a good start. Game 4 goes tonight as the Rangers look to get to the brink of a title against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Last night wasn't a flashy game by any means. A very subdued 3-1 score entered into the record books and the Rangers took home the victory giving them the lead in the young series. The Diamondbacks didn't play poorly, but they did allow a home run which has been the main way the Rangers are scoring runs. If you listened to the broadcast at all last night (and it can be hard to listen to Joe Buck and John Smoltz) they constantly brought up the Rangers hitting. In every sentence about them it was basically that they live and die by the home run ball. In their two wins, Corey Seager has two home runs. In their loss, they had a home run. It was a solo shot and that accounted for all of their runs. Sure, before Seager's blast, they scored a run on station-to-station baseball, but the homers are leading the way. The Diamondbacks are not quite as reliant on the home run ball, but they need to start stringing together hits. Yesterday they had six hits, but left four men on base. Three of their hits were doubles. Their starting pitching kept them in the game and the bullpen held the Rangers scoreless, but they essentially couldn't do anything from there. Now, they need to even up the series.

HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 23: Jose Leclerc #25 of the Texas Rangers celebrates with Jonah Heim #28 after defeating the Houston Astros in Game Seven to win the American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park on October 23, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

It will be a bit of a challenge because the Rangers are undefeated on the road in the postseason. Something about being away from their home field in Arlington seems to get them running on all cylinders. I also need to give a hat tip to their manager, Bruce Bochy, he seems to be one of the better managers in baseball, but has aligned his lineup really well. It helps that your superstars are doing what they are paid to do, but he's not managing them out of games either and putting them all in situations to excel. Tonight is a bit of a "Who?" game for the World Series. The Rangers are starting Andrew Heaney and the Diamondbacks are starting Joe Mantiply. Heaney has seen a bit of work already in the World Series with two outs recording and one hit. He's likely to not go deep into this one as it will likely be a bullpen game. He did start a game earlier in the year against the Diamondbacks when he went 4.2 innings and allowed six earned runs, including three homers. The Diamondbacks are starting Mantiply, another bullpen game for them as well. He allowed three earned runs in one appearance against the Phillies but outside of that, hasn't allowed a run in the other combined six innings of work in the postseason.

If this indeed ends up as a bullpen game, I think the Diamondbacks have the better bullpen and should win this game. At -115 they are the play tonight. I wouldn't be surprised to see the over hit here, but it is very hard to predict how the hitters will respond, and in what order the pitchers will come into the game. I'll take the Diamondbacks in this one and see them evening up the series tonight.

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