World Series odds: García, Seager expected to lead Rangers to 1st title

The stage is finally set.

The Rangers will take on the Diamondbacks for the 2023 World Series crown after both teams won a do-or-die Game 7 in their respective LCS.

Oddsmakers at theScore Bet have made the American League representatives the favorite to win it all.

Led by slugger Adolis García and shortstop Corey Seager, the Rangers are looking to end the second-longest World Series drought of 62 years for what would be the franchise’s first championship. They remain the oldest MLB team without a World Series victory, dating back to when the Rangers were the Washington Senators.

The Diamondbacks will play in their second World Series. They were victorious in their first appearance in 2001 when Luis Gonzalez famously hit a bloop single off Mariano Rivera with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Yankees.

The series between these two preseason long shots is expected to be tight. The Rangers were +4000, and the D-Backs were a whopping +10000 (bet $100, win $10,000) on Opening Day.

The odds imply the betting market believes there’s a roughly 15% chance of a sweep and a 33.3% chance that it makes it to Game 7.

The last time there was a sweep in the World Series was in 2012 when the Giants beat the Tigers. The Nationals‘ win over the Astros in 2019 was the last seven-game finale. The previous World Series have all ended in Game 6.

As for who’s expected to perform best, García and Seager are co-favorites to win MVP at +500. Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte are the top candidates on the D-Backs at +1000.

MVP odds

García was a monster in the ALCS. He collected 10 hits in the Rangers’ seven-game set versus the Astros, including five home runs in the last four games. In Game 7, García went 4-for-5 with two homers and drove in five runs.

If he can continue that torrid pace, the Rangers are highly likely to be the ones hoisting the World Series trophy, and García will be a lock to win MVP.

Game 1 of the World Series gets underway Friday at 8:03 p.m. ET from Globe Life Field in Arlington. The Rangers are -165 favorites (62.3% implied probability) to take the early series lead.