Photo USA TODAY Sports Photos No team has successfully defended the World Series since the New York Yankees won three consecutive championships from 1998 to 2000.
Since then, the 2009 Phillies have become the only team to reach the World Series a year after winning it all, but the Phillies lost to the Yankees in that year's Fall Classic.
With that in mind, the Texas Rangers face a great chance to tie the game before the season even begins.
At times, it seems like the Rangers are still suffering from a World Series hangover after winning the franchise's first championship in 2023.
Things don't look too promising either for Rangers to become the first team in more than two decades to repeat the feat. They came out strong in the first half but lost two of three games against the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles to open the second half. However, they salvaged the series finale on Sunday and are just five games behind the Houston Astros in the AL West race.
“Every game is important,” said starter Andrew Heaney, who pitched five scoreless innings on Sunday. “I don't want to sound cliché or like a broken record or anything, but it is what it is. It can only be one game at a time. We have to go take care of business.
The Rangers' first step is to wait just over a week more to ensure they are in the “buyer” category before the July 30 trade deadline. It helps that the Chicago White Sox, who have the worst record in baseball, are in town for a four-game series starting Monday before starting a six-game road trip in Toronto on Friday at under .500.
But the most important aspect of the Rangers' repeat bid is the reinforcements expected to be added, headlined by two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom (right UCL), Who is throwing the mound? and is expected to return at the end of August.
Right-hander Tyler Mahler (UCL right side repair surgery) further leads deGrom as Mahler is in the final stages of his rehab assignment. He could become an option for Rangers later this month. Offensively, the Rangers expect third baseman Josh Jung (right wrist) and outfielder Evan Carter (lower back soreness) to return in the coming weeks.
With so many potential weapons joining the club, is it reasonable to think the Rangers have a path to repeat? Of course, especially if they win a playoff spot and launch a rotation featuring the likes of deGrom and Max Scherzer in October.
is it possible? Of course, time will tell, but the oddsmakers don’t think so. The Rangers opened the second half as +6000 odds to win the World Series, according to ESPN Bet . There are 14 teams with better odds.
Still, it felt like the Rangers were sleeping. As mentioned, this is a team that is about to add reinforcements and is finishing the season with a favorable schedule that includes 10 games in the final 22 games against the Angels and Athletics, the last-place teams in the AFC West. .
It's not far-fetched to imagine the Rangers getting hot at the right time.
as Scherzer told the Rangers on SI Late in the first half, “I still look at the talent in this room and believe we can compete with anyone in the league.”
Everyone in the club has this mentality.
“We're trending in the right direction,” second baseman Marcus Semien said during the All-Star celebrations. “We're about to pitch. Scherzer is coming back. We also have some really good position players coming back. So, once we get healthy and we all swing the bat well, I think we're a scary ball team. Team.