Four things to know about Rangers-Diamondbacks showdown as clubs meet for first World Series rematch

Thanks to the magic of interleague play, the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks will play a World Series rematch at Globe Life Field this week. The quick two-game series begins Tuesday. Of course, the Rangers beat the D-backs in five games last fall to capture the franchise’s first World Series championship.

Each team plays every other team every year with the new, more balanced schedule, although the Rangers and D-backs are designated interleague rivals, so they will meet again later this year at Chase Field. That two-game series is scheduled for September 10-11. The D-backs beat the Rangers three of four last regular season before the two teams met in October.

Here are the details on the Rangers vs. This week’s D-backs in Arlington. Select games can be streamed on fuboTV (Try for free).

The Rangers have not yet announced their starters for this week’s series, although right-hander Dane Dunning (3-3, 4.43 ERA) and left-hander Andrew Heaney (0-6, 4.69 ERA) line up to start Tuesday and Wednesday -Friday, respectively. Monday’s off day would allow Texas to start righty José Ureña (1-4, 3.53 ERA) on Wednesday, although they are more likely to remain in the corner.

Left-hander Jordan Montgomery started last Saturday and will not face his former team this week. Montgomery was a key figure in the Rangers’ victory over the D-backs and World Series victory last season, then signed a free agent contract with Arizona in March. Texas will present Montgomery with its extremely cool World Series ring during this week’s series.

“This is what you work for” Montgomery told MLB.com last month. “I got there with a bunch of great guys and they were firing on all cylinders. It was fun and I’m glad I could be that push to get them through it. (Nathan Eovaldi) and Heaney, I talk to a lot of the team there yet. My mom sent me a video of what the ring looks like with a rundown of everything, and it’s going to be sick.”

The D-backs and Rangers had a day off on Monday, so they will head into Tuesday’s series opener with fresh legs and fresh relievers. Here are four things you should know ahead of this week’s World Series rematch, with a prediction thrown in at the end, because why not?

1. Both teams have slow starts

Neither the Rangers nor the D-backs are getting the 2023 follow-up they envisioned. The Rangers enter play on Tuesday with a 25-29 record and a minus-6 run differential. They have lost 12 of their last 15 games and really nothing about the team stands out. They’re middle of the pack offensively, shooting-wise, defensively, you name it. The middle of the bullpen in particular is a big problem.

The D-backs, meanwhile, have a 25-28 record with a plus-3 run differential, which suggests they’ve played better than their record indicates. No what much better, but better. Arizona has won 11 of its last 19 games, so maybe it’s starting to improve. The thing is, the D-backs and Rangers aren’t where they expected them to be two months into 2024. It’s been hard work so far.

2. The recent history of World Series rematches

Now that each team faces the other 29 teams every year with the new schedule, we will have a World Series rematch every season. Last year was the first year with the new schedule and the Philadelphia Phillies took two of three from the Houston Astros in 2023 after losing the 2022 World Series to Houston in six games.

In the last 10 years, with the old rotating schedule between leagues, there have been only four World Series rematches during the regular season and only one in the last four years. The Astros and Washington Nationals were originally scheduled to meet in 2020, however, before the pandemic-shortened 60-game season led to regional play. Here are the last 10 years under the old schedule:

Before interleague play, a World Series rematch only took place at the World Series. With interleague play, this happened once every few years during the regular season. With the new schedule, this will happen every year. Does this dilute everything? I do not think so. It actually improves the experience, at least if your team wins the World Series. You can relive the thrill of victory and everything in between.

3. Carroll is having a brutal season

Is Corbin Carroll playing through injury? That would at least explain his terrible season to date, because if this Carroll is fully healthy, hoo boy is it very worrying. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year has been one of the worst hitters in baseball this season. Here’s where he ranks among the 155 hitters with enough appearances to qualify for the batting title:

The D-backs moved Carroll to the eighth spot in the lineup late last month, he had an 8-for-27 (.296) hitting streak from April 29 to May 7, the D-backs moved him back to the position starter, and he has gone 9-for-64 (.141) in 17 games since. For what it’s worth, A non-Diamondbacks person recently told the Arizona Republic that Carroll’s swing path is completely out of whack..

“There are significant changes to its vertical angle of attack from 2023 to 2024,” the person told the Arizona Republic. “Last year he was below average. Now he’s well below average.”

Over the winter, Carroll worked to level out his swing so he could throw fastballs more easily, and it appears those adjustments have held him back. He went from very good against heaters and great against breaking balls last season to bad against all pitch types this year. Whatever the reason, Carroll is having a terrible year, and the D-backs need him to right the ship, and fast.

4. Who is hot, who is not

Baseball is a sport of hot and cold tides. Daily and weekly consistency is a myth. As such, several players enter this week’s series swinging the bat better than others. Here are the hottest D-backs hitters from the last 15 days:

Few D-backs qualify as “hot” right now. They have averaged 3.09 runs over the last 11 games and that’s with Newman, who is filling in for the injured Geraldo Perdomo (and Jordan Lawlar), having the best stretch of his career. Pederson rarely faces lefties (just seven games against lefties) and likely won’t be in Wednesday’s lineup against Heaney.

Over the last 15 days, the D-backs haven’t gotten much from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (.214/.267/.333), Ketel Marte (.213/.245/.319), Gabriel Moreno (.179/.324/ .286) and Eugenio Suárez (.205/.244/.31). Add Carroll and we have a lot of underperforming hitters heading into the World Series rematch with the Rangers. Arizona’s offense needs a decisive game in the worst way.

Here are three Rangers hitters who have swung the bat well over the last 15 days:

Just like the D-backs, few Rangers are swinging the bat well right now. Seager appears fully recovered after his sports hernia surgery in January, although García’s production has been entirely tied to his power lately, and Smith hasn’t been doing much more than pulverizing singles and taking walks. And that’s okay. Singles and walks also win games, but one of the team’s best hitters in recent weeks sporting a sub-.700 OPS isn’t good.

Stalwarts Jonah Heim (.095/.174/.190), Nathaniel Lowe (.159/.255/.227) and Marcus Semien (.140/.218/.320) have been quiet at the plate over the past 15 days. Evan Carter, who was so impressive last September and in the postseason, enters the World Series rematch with an 0-20 skid. He has 2 years in the last 38 and his season batting line has dropped to .188/.272/ 0.361. It’s fair to wonder if Carter could use some time in Triple-A to reset. For now, he remains in Texas.

Prediction

This is a two game series and I could take the easy way out and say it will be a split, but no. This is ridiculous. I will say the D-backs win both games, specifically with comebacks against the Rangers bullpen in the middle of the inning. I will also say that Carroll, despite his terrible season, gets The Big Hit in one of the two games. It was predicted.