We've officially made it to the World Series, as Game 1 between the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks will get rolling Friday night at 8:03 p.m. ET. Nathan Eovaldi, who's 4-0 in four starts this postseason, gets the start for the Rangers, while the Diamondbacks will counter with Zac Gallen.
With the World Series finally upon us, let's dig into the matchup and toss out some best bets for Game 1.
It won't feel comfortable to click submit on an under bet involving this Rangers offense. Texas averaged 8.0 runs over the last three games of the ALCS, and it slugged nine home runs over that span.
But we're trusting these starting pitchers in a matchup with a high total for a World Series Game 1. Gallen struggled against the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS, but he gave up just four earned runs and one homer in 11 innings pitched against the Rangers in the regular season. Eovaldi has been lights out all postseason, and his career 2.87 ERA in the playoffs speaks for itself.
Eovaldi has been an effective inning-eater throughout the playoffs. The veteran right-hander has recorded at least 18 outs in all four of his starts in the playoffs, and he went 6.0 innings in Game 2 of the ALCS despite giving up three earned runs.
Bruce Bochy wants his starters to pitch as long as possible to avoid his below-average bullpen, and he's trusted Eovaldi to go at least six innings every time he's taken the mound in the postseason. The Diamondbacks struggled to chase Philadelphia's starters in the NLCS. We should see a similar result in Game 1 of the World Series.
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