World Series 2023: Rangers vs. D-backs Game Times, How to Watch, Schedule

The Arizona Diamondbacks were the sixth and final team to earn a playoff spot in the National League. Now Arizona is the last NL team standing.

The Diamondbacks defeated the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-2, in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series on Tuesday, clinching the pennant and a trip to the 2023 World Series. And with that, this year's Fall Classic matchup is set. The Texas Rangers beat the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Monday, and now finally know their final opponent of the season.

Both teams in this year's World Series lost more than 100 games as recently as two seasons ago and were under .500 last year. And the Rangers and Diamondbacks both overcame 3-2 Championship Series deficits by winning Games 6 and 7 on the road to advance.

Now the Fall Classic awaits. The 2023 World Series begins on Friday with Game 1 in Arlington, Texas, at Globe Life Field.

Here's what baseball fans need to know ahead of time.

World Series Paths for Rangers, Diamondbacks

Two Wild Card teams are on to the World Series.

Houston beat out Texas for the AL West title on the final day of the regular season. But that didn't stop the Rangers. Texas (90-72), the No. 5 seed in the American League, swept the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles, respectively, in the Wild Card round and Division Series.

After taking a 2-0 series lead over the Astros, the Rangers dropped three games in a row at home and were on the brink of elimination. But Texas outscored Houston 20-6 over the final two games of the series to win. It was only the second time in MLB history that the road team won every game in a best-of-seven series. The Rangers are 8-0 on the road this postseason.

Arizona (84-78) finished the regular season 16 games behind the NL West-champion Los Angeles Dodgers, and only one game ahead of the Chicago Cubs for the league's final Wild Card spot. The Diamondbacks allowed 15 more runs than they scored over the 162-game season, and during a 50-game span over the summer went 16-34.

They must have saved their best baseball for October.

Arizona swept the NL Central-champion Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild Card round, then downed the Dodgers in three games to reach the NLCS. Two wins at a rowdy Citizens Bank Park to close out the series have the Diamondbacks one step closer to their second-ever World Series win. This year marked the fourth time since the League Championship Series expanded to a best-of-seven format in 1985 that both the ALCS and NLCS went to Game 7 in the same year, but the first time where the road teams won Games 6 and 7 in each series.

This marks the first time since 2014 that two Wild Card teams will meet in the World Series.

World Series Schedule, How to Watch

Game 1 of the best-of-seven World Series will be played on Friday. The 2023 Fall Classic will run through November 4 if the series requires seven games. The Rangers will receive home-field advantage because they had a better regular-season record than the Diamondbacks.

Texas will host Games 1 and 2 of the World Series. Then Diamondbacks will be at home for Games 3-5 before the series goes back to Arlington for Games 6 and 7, if necessary. Sunday, October 29 and Thursday, November 2 (if needed) are the designated travel days for this series.

Every World Series game this year is scheduled to begin at 8:03 p.m. ET and air on Fox. Joe Davis (play-by-play) and John Smoltz (analyst) will be on the call, while Tom Verducci and Ken Rosenthal will offer updates throughout the broadcasts.

Here's the full schedule for the final round of the playoffs.

Friday, October 27

Game 1: Diamondbacks at Rangers, 8:03 p.m. ET (Fox)

Saturday, October 28

Game 2: Diamondbacks at Rangers, 8:03 p.m. ET (Fox)

Monday, October 30

Game 3: Rangers at Diamondbacks, 8:03 p.m. ET (Fox)

Tuesday, October 31

Game 4: Rangers at Diamondbacks, 8:03 p.m. ET (Fox)

Wednesday, November 1

Game 5: Rangers at Diamondbacks, 8:03 p.m. ET (Fox)

Friday, November 3

Game 6: Diamondbacks at Rangers, 8:03 p.m. ET (Fox)

Saturday, November 4

Game 7: Diamondbacks at Rangers, 8:03 p.m. ET (Fox)

Last Time Rangers, D-backs Went to World Series

This marks the third time the Rangers have won the AL pennant and reached the World Series.

The previous two instances came in back-to-back seasons in 2010 and 2011. Texas lost both times, first to the San Francisco Giants in five games, then to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. Manager Bruce Bochy won three World Series rings leading the Giants, including one for beating Texas in 2010, and is seeking another to close out his first season with the Rangers.

Arizona has not been back to the World Series since it made it for the first time in 2001. The Diamondbacks defeated the New York Yankees in seven games that year. Luis Gonzalez's walk-off hit off of Mariano Rivera clinched the franchise's first, and to this point only, World Series win.

This will be the first World Series since 2016 without either the Astros or Dodgers.

Who is Favored to Win the World Series?

The Rangers opened as -170 favorites to win the World Series, per odds retrieved from DraftKings Sportsbook on Wednesday morning. The Diamondbacks are currently +140 underdogs.

Arizona has the third-worst record, by winning percentage, of any team to reach the World Series. The Diamondbacks had 180-1 odds from DraftKings to win the World Series on Opening Day, among the worst in MLB. And a Rangers-Diamondbacks matchup had 1,750-1 odds when wagering opened last fall, per the Associated Press.