2023 World Series preview: Rangers or D-backs? Who will be MVP? Predictions, inside intel and odds

The 2023 World Series begins tonight in Arlington, Texas.

The Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks punched their tickets in two thrilling league championship series that went the distance. Both teams came from behind to win Games 6 and 7 on the road -- with the D-backs upsetting the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park and the Rangers taking down their instate rivals, the reigning champion Houston Astros, at Minute Maid Park.

With the first pitch of World Series Game 1 scheduled for 8:03 p.m. ET at Globe Life Field, we dive into the players and matchups that matter most for both teams. We also asked our ESPN MLB experts to make their picks for who will win the Series, how many games it will take and who will be the MVP of this Fall Classic.

Jump to: Rangers | Diamondbacks | Our predictions



63.6% chance of winning | Caesars odds: -170

What's on the line for the Rangers: The first World Series title in franchise history -- ending a drought not as long as those the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs once had, and certainly not as infamous, but a long drought nonetheless. Born in 1961 as the second incarnation of the Washington Senators, the franchise moved to the Metroplex in 1972 and lost 205 games its first two seasons, later inspiring a book titled "Seasons in Hell." The Rangers didn't make the playoffs until 1996 and finally reached the World Series in 2010 and 2011. In 2010, they lost to their current manager, Bruce Bochy, and his San Francisco Giants in five games. In 2011, they fell to the St. Louis Cardinals in the most agonizing fashion: They were leading 7-5 in Game 6 entering the bottom of the ninth, only to blow the game and then drop Game 7 as well.

Bochy is already a future Hall of Famer based on the three titles he won with the Giants, but a fourth championship would put him in an elite inner circle that includes Casey Stengel (7), Joe McCarthy (7), Connie Mack (5), Walter Alston (4) and Joe Torre (4). Adolis Garcia, with seven home runs and 20 RBIs, has a chance to put his stamp on one of the greatest individual postseasons ever (he's just one RBI from tying David Freese's record of 21 in 2011). And here's a fun one: Corey Seager could join Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson and Reggie Jackson as the only two-time World Series MVPs. -- David Schoenfield

Three reasons Texas can win:

Where the Rangers are vulnerable: The back of the bullpen remains thin. Texas has gotten this far because Bochy has managed to steer his club into workable situations for his high-leverage crew, which, at this point, might just be Josh Sborz and Jose Leclerc. The Rangers' staff is set up to cover innings in the event of a short outing from a starter, but where it gets dicey is protecting a one- or two-run lead for three or four innings. That's Arizona's task: Create high-leverage moments in the middle innings that force Bochy to extend his key relievers and risk wearing them out or turn to lead protectors he might prefer to avoid in key spots. -- Bradford Doolittle

Jeff Passan's inside intel:



36.4% chance of winning | Caesars odds: +145

What's on the line for the D-backs: The ultimate underdog wins it all. The Diamondbacks are already just the second team to reach the World Series after being outscored in the regular season, joining the 1987 Minnesota Twins. With an 84-78 record, the only World Series participants with a worse record were the 1973 New York Mets (82-79) and 2006 Cardinals (83-78). We can debate whether this devalues the regular season, but one way to look at it: You don't have to build a superteam to win a World Series -- and maybe that's good for the sport.



After all, this is the first Fall Classic since 2016 without the Houston Astros or Los Angeles Dodgers, the two teams (and now joined by the Atlanta Braves) that have dominated the regular season in recent years. A little new blood isn't the worst thing -- even if the Diamondbacks weren't a great team in the regular season. (Also: It gives those cheapskate owners no excuse in refusing to invest in their teams. The Diamondbacks are proof that any team can still win it all, not just the deep-pocketed blue bloods.) -- Schoenfield

Three reasons Arizona can win

Where the D-backs are vulnerable: Depending on how you want to view Arizona's 6-5 win in Game 4 of the NLCS, the Diamondbacks haven't really won any shootouts during the postseason, and it's really not how they are built. It is, on the other hand, the thing that makes the Rangers look unbeatable at times -- sheer firepower. The Diamondbacks have to play from ahead to win this series because the Rangers' lineup is deep and momentum-based. Early rallies turn into unsightly crooked numbers in a hurry, and Texas is more adept at doing that than anyone. It's incumbent that the Arizona starters keep the Rangers down early, because the Snakes simply can't keep up if the Rangers' offense gets on a roll. -- Doolittle

Jeff Passan's inside intel:



How many games?

MVP: Corey Seager (4 votes); Nathan Eovaldi (4 votes); Corbin Carroll (2 votes); Marcus Semien (1 vote); Christian Walker (1 vote)

Why are the Rangers the overwhelming choice here? Quite simply, we know more about them, and know they can handle the moment. Corey Seager has been a World Series MVP. Nathan Eovaldi is cemented as one of the best postseason pitchers of his generation. Bruce Bochy has three championship rings.

But I believe there's also a lot of humility behind the Rangers' standing as heavy favorites, because the prognosticators -- like myself -- have been wrong so often about the Diamondbacks. Through the years, you will hear the tiresome refrain from championship players about how no one believed in them, no one thought they could win. Well, in Arizona's case, this is completely true -- practically no one said they would win the World Series, and so far they've knocked off the NL Central champion Brewers, the West champion Dodgers and the defending NL champion Phillies. Hell, the Diamondbacks have probably surprised themselves. By now, could anyone be truly shocked if Arizona wins the World Series? -- Buster Olney

How do you think the D-backs can do it? Let's put it this way, dear reader: I was the only expert here to pick the Diamondbacks to beat the Phillies in the NLCS. I'll let you decide if that makes me the expert of experts, but I'm sure not going to jump off the bandwagon now. Arizona can beat the Rangers the same way it beat the Phillies: good enough starting pitching, shutdown relief, good defense and a little daring on the basepaths. Indeed, the D-backs played it a little cautious early in the NLCS, maybe a little too afraid of making outs. In Game 6, they stole four bases. In Game 7, they stole four more bases. And keep in mind the D-backs twice beat Phillies closer Craig Kimbrel. The Rangers have similar concerns about their closer, Jose Leclerc, who has served up three home runs this postseason. -- Schoenfield