Texas Rangers @ Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks to Win
Over 9.5 Runs
First Half Betting – Arizona Diamondbacks
First Inning Result – Arizona Diamondbacks
MLB World Series, Game 3, Texas Rangers @ Arizona Diamondbacks
12:03am, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
TV: TNT Sports
For the longest time, most British and Irish people’s interactions with the sport of baseball were limited to that soundbite Delboy, from the TV programme Only Fools and Horses, gave when he referred to it as silly boys’ rounders.
And that image kind of endured up until recently, when MLB International surprised the world by seeing 230,000 people packed into the London Stadium to watch four games of baseball in 2019 and 2023.
That’s generally got me now making football-like comparisons for my less-well-read amigos to grasp the basic narrative of this World Series.
Essentially, it’s the equivalent of Fulham and Brentford battling it out for a league title.
The Rangers opened the season with the ninth-highest payroll, while only nine teams had a lower payout than the Diamondbacks.
For some, this is a World Series dominated by small-market teams and thus lacking any national interest. To others, it shows just why the sport is fantastic – anyone can make a run at the grand prize.
I tend to side with the latter. Kansas City was a tiny market in the NFL up until recently. You just need that defining moment to shift perception.
This World Series could be franchise-defining. Who’ll manage to future-proof themselves?
Arizona Diamondbacks to Win
When assessing home-field advantage, it’s clear to see that the Diamondbacks themselves don’t really mind whether they’re in the heat of Arizona or the cold of Milwaukee in October. They’re .531 at home and .506 on their travels.
But the Rangers are sub-.500 when leaving home comforts and above .600 when lining out in Arlington.
In fact, they went 21-29 on the road in the last four months of the regular season.
But, rather incredibly, they’ve won all eight road games in the postseason to this point, while going 2-4 in Arlington.
Max Scherzer has looked a shadow of himself in his two starts coming back from a shoulder injury, while Brandon Pfaaft has come on leaps and bounds as a starter who requires some substantial middle-inning support from the bullpen.
I feel Arizona are happy to ride that situation, while there will be hesitancy from the Texas dugout to pull Scherzer knowing full-well he could easily get them a quality start.
Pfaadt is far from the seven-run concession that the Rangers faced in his MLB debut back in May. Stubbornness will be the primary failing of Texas in this one.
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Over 9.5 Runs
There’s a reason you won’t see me include a home run leg of this Bet Builder, but you can guarantee that the overs will be favoured among bettors, least not due to the fact that Chase Field led the MLB in triples.
And it might seem a tad obvious, but batters have come into this World Series aggressive as hell. Thirty-seven hits through two games should indicate, particularly at 1-1, that the approach is the best route to winning the series.
First Half Betting – Arizona Diamondbacks
If the Diamondbacks are to win this game, they’ll be taking advantage of Scherzer’s inability to get hot. He’s really showing signs of labour early on in his two postseason games thus far. His seven runs against in his 6.2 innings of work have highlighted that the shoulder might still be bothering him; even if the velocity is there, the command is not.
First Inning Result – Arizona Diamondbacks
The top of that Arizona order is primed to take advantage early and swing on the first pitch. Marte, Carroll and Moreno are OBP machines and having to see Scherzer cope with runners on base just gives him a headache on top of everything else.
Torey Luvello will have them attempting to steal on him; their 165 stolen bases ranked only behind the Reds in 2023.
Texas Rangers @ Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks to Win
Over 9.5 Runs
First Half Betting – Arizona Diamondbacks
First Inning Result – Arizona Diamondbacks
All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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