The World Series will pit two underdogs and two divergent attack styles against each other.
When the Rangers and Diamondbacks begin play Friday at Globe Life Field, the American League representative will bring slug and the NL rep speed.
The Rangers will work counts, draw walks and rely upon long balls that swing games, while the Diamondbacks will try to use their legs to maximize every scoring opportunity.
It might not be a World Series many forecast, but it will be a World Series that showcases the game’s youth, athleticism and power and one that will thrill one long-suffering fan base.
Ahead of a World Series that will be intriguing for baseball fans and ignored by many more, let’s break down the matchups:
Getting on base: The Rangers led the American League in on-base percentage during the regular season (.337) and have been the AL’s best in the postseason (.344).
Proven star Corey Seager (postseason .483 OBP) and rookie emerging star Evan Carter (.449) have lived on base for a team that also was the league’s best at laying off pitches outside the strike zone.
The Diamondbacks were middle of the pack in the regular season (.322 OBP) and postseason (.317 OBP) and have been carried by Corbin Carroll (postseason .396 OBP) and Ketel Marte (.382).
Edge: Rangers
Power: The Rangers crushed 67 more regular-season homers and four more postseason dingers than the Diamondbacks. Texas — led by offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker, who could become a managerial candidate elsewhere — tries (and usually does) outslug you.
Nine Rangers, fronted by Adolis Garcia, Seager and Marcus Semien, smacked at least 14 regular-season home runs, a total reached by just four Diamondbacks.
Edge: Rangers
The Diamondbacks try to compensate for their lack of muscle with an aggressive, speedy attack.
Only the Reds stole more than Arizona in the regular season, and after a slow start in the NLCS, Arizona swiped eight bags against the Phillies — and star catcher J.T. Realmuto — in Games 6 and 7.
Carroll (54 steals this year) especially puts pressure on defenses. Rangers catcher Jonah Heim, who threw out 29 percent of attempted base stealers this season, will be important.
Edge: Diamondbacks
Infield: In Heim, first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, second baseman Semien and shortstop Seager, Texas boasts four Gold Glove finalists in the infield.
Arizona only has two (catcher Gabriel Moreno and first baseman Christian Walker).
But Moreno is among the league’s best at cutting down opposing base-stealers and Walker is probably the majors’ best glove at his position.
Edge: Even
Outfield: What will matter more in right field: Carroll’s legs or Garcia’s arm? Carroll reaches more balls, but his lack of arm strength can be exploited, while Garcia’s cannon can be a game-changing weapon.
Alek Thomas and Leody Taveras are both above-average center fielders.
The Rangers have unearthed a difference-maker in left in Carter — who had not even debuted until September — whose glove beats Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s.
Edge: Rangers
Bench: Both are well-built with useful pieces that will be deployed. Presuming Mitch Garver serves as the designated hitter, Texas will have Robbie Grossman as a late-game bat against lefty pitchers and Travis Jankowski as a late-inning defensive substitution.
Presuming Tommy Pham serves as the designated hitter, Arizona will have either Emmanuel Rivera or Evan Longoria — whoever does not start at third — plus Pavin Smith, who has reached base three times in four postseason pinch-hit plate appearances.
Edge: Even
Rotation: Prefer former Yankees Nathan Eovaldi and Jordan Montgomery or Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly? Texas’ aces have been better in October; Arizona’s enjoyed slightly better regular seasons.
Prefer Max Scherzer’s résumé or Brandon Pfaadt’s recency for a wild-card third starter?
Scherzer, the former Mets ace and postseason legend, has allowed seven runs in 6 ²/₃ playoff innings after a month-long layoff with a shoulder problem.
After Arizona’s top arms comes Pfaadt, who has pitched his best in the postseason (2.70 ERA) but had an ERA near 6 in the regular season.
Edge: Rangers
Bullpen: By FanGraphs’ measure of Wins Above Replacement, the Diamondbacks had the regular season’s seventh-least valuable bullpen and the Rangers the eighth-least.
Both had below-average ERAs. Neither has had powerhouse postseasons, either, though Arizona’s has been stronger of late. Closer Paul Sewald and setup men Kevin Ginkel and Ryan Thompson have been steady.
The less you hear about the rest of Arizona’s bullpen, the happier manager Torey Lovullo will be.
Closer Jose Leclerc has gotten the job done for Texas, but much of the rest of the bullpen has been erratic.
Somehow, Aroldis Chapman has only been charged with one run this postseason while walking four and hitting one in 6 ¹/₃ innings.
Edge: Diamondbacks
Lovullo, a literal graybeard in his seventh season as Diamondbacks manager and with more than 1,000 games as skipper, is somehow the inexperienced one.
Bruce Bochy is as battle-tested as they come, consistently pressed the right buttons for the Giants in 2010, ’12 and ’14 and has guided his third franchise to the World Series.
He’s a steady force in his first year out of retirement with the Rangers.
Edge: Rangers
Both teams come in hot, having won the final two games of their respective league’s championship series.
Both teams can feel like underdogs, with the Rangers (90 regular-season wins) and Diamondbacks (84) beating three playoff opponents and the odds to reach this stage.
The Rangers have never won a title, and the Diamondbacks had to beat Mariano Rivera to claim their own trophy and would have to stun Chris “Mad Dog” Russo to win a second.
Edge: Even