The Texas Rangers were coming off a loss in their regular-season finale that cost them the AL West title and sent them to the wild card position the last time they traveled to Tampa Bay for a game.
The World Series champions are returning to the spot where their MLB-record postseason run began last October, riding an 11-game winning streak on the road.
Texas begins a three-game series against the Rays on the road on Monday night.
Reliever Josh Sborz responded, “I do,” when asked if he could recall what it was like to lose while traveling. “And we weren’t that good on the road last regular season,”
After losing 40-41 away from home in the regular-season finale against the Seattle Mariners, the Rangers took a cross-country flight directly over Dallas-Fort Worth to play the Rays in an AL Wild Card Series.
The Rangers swept the AL Division Series against the Orioles with a victory in Arlington after winning twice there and twice more in Baltimore.
In the AL Championships Series, the road team prevailed in all seven games, with the Rangers winning Game 7 in Houston. Texas defeated the Diamondbacks in five games in the World Series after winning three games in Arizona.
“I had some friends that came over for the games there in Tampa last year,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “They are going to return.” We will thus undoubtedly discuss it. This game’s beauty lies in that. Certain things set off those recollections. When we play in Houston, I’m sure it will be the same when you arrive at those parks and see Baltimore.
In the season-opening series at Globe Life Field, the Rangers defeated the Chicago Cubs two games to one to earn their World Series rings.
“11-0” and “road dominance” are engraved beneath the ring’s detachable and reversible face, which features two “T” logos filled with rubies and sapphires. One of the logos has eleven stones inside it to symbolize all those wins along the way.
Before the Rangers play their first of 81 scheduled away games this season, Sborz—who recorded the final out of the World Series—was asked if he would remember that incredible road run.
“I don’t think we’re going to have a perfect record in the regular season,” the right-hander said. Just maintain your composure and try not to get caught up in the time or the season. I believe that’s what made us so successful—just kind of lounging around in the clubhouse and having a good time, and then always turning it on when we went to the game.”
Right-hander Dane Dunning is scheduled to get the first road start for the Rangers.
Regarding the previous year’s run, Dunning remarked, “That was, I mean, unbelievable.” “There was something about that team that really got under our skin. Everybody was pulling from the same side of the rope, from top to bottom.
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