If you had told a baseball fan back in 2021 that the Texas Rangers would be standing on a podium in Phoenix clutching a Commissioner's Trophy just two years later, they probably would have laughed in your face. Honestly, it sounded like a fever dream. At that time, the Rangers were a 102-loss team. They were basically the basement dwellers of the American League West. But sports are weird, and baseball is weirder.
The answer to who won the world series last year 2023 is the Texas Rangers. They didn't just win; they absolutely steamrolled their way through an historic postseason run that culminated in a 4-1 series victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was the first title in the franchise’s 63-year history. No more "next year." No more haunting memories of 2011. Just pure, unadulterated chaos and victory.
Why the 2023 World Series Was Different
Most people expected the big spenders or the 100-win juggernauts to be there. The Braves were terrifying. The Dodgers looked like a video game roster. Instead, we got two Wild Card teams. It was the "Underdog World Series," and while some national pundits grumbled about the TV ratings, the actual baseball was electric.
The Rangers entered the playoffs as the fifth seed. They had to go through Tampa Bay, then a powerhouse Baltimore Orioles team, and finally their "big brother" rivals, the Houston Astros. By the time they reached the Fall Classic, they weren't just lucky; they were battle-hardened.
The Road Warriors
One of the most insane stats from this run—and I’m not exaggerating here—is their road record. The Rangers went 11-0 on the road during the 2023 postseason. 11 and 0. That is a Major League record. It didn't matter if they were in the humidity of Tampa or the hostile environment of Minute Maid Park in Houston; they just didn't lose away from Arlington.
📖 Related: How to watch vikings game online free without the usual headache
The MVP: Corey Seager’s Terminator Act
You can't talk about who won the world series last year 2023 without talking about Corey Seager. The man is essentially a hitting robot designed in a lab to destroy baseballs in October.
Seager earned his second career World Series MVP in 2023. This puts him in a very exclusive club with Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, and Reggie Jackson. He's the only shortstop to ever do it twice.
His Game 1 home run was the turning point of the entire series. The Rangers were down 5-3 in the bottom of the ninth. The atmosphere in Globe Life Field was getting tense. Then Seager absolutely crushed a two-run shot to tie it. You could feel the momentum shift across the entire state of Texas. Adolis García eventually walked it off in the 11th, but Seager’s blast was the heart-stopper.
How the Series Was Won (Game by Game)
It wasn't a sweep, but it felt dominant. Arizona put up a fight, especially in Game 2, but the Rangers' depth was just too much.
👉 See also: Liechtenstein National Football Team: Why Their Struggles are Different Than You Think
- Game 1: A dramatic 6-5 extra-innings win for Texas.
- Game 2: The Diamondbacks bounced back with a 9-1 blowout. For a second, people thought Arizona might actually pull this off.
- Game 3: Texas took it 3-1. Marcus Semien and Corey Seager provided the offense while the pitching staff held firm.
- Game 4: A total offensive explosion. Texas won 11-7, but it wasn't even that close for most of the night. They jumped out to a 10-0 lead early.
- Game 5: The clincher. A 5-0 shutout.
In that final game, Zac Gallen for the Diamondbacks was actually throwing a no-hitter through six innings. He was dealing. But the Rangers stayed patient. Seager finally broke up the no-no in the seventh, and the floodgates opened. Nathan Eovaldi, who was "Big Game Nate" all month, pitched six gutsy, scoreless innings despite walking five batters. He just refused to let them score.
The Bruce Bochy Factor
Let's give some credit to the guy in the dugout. Bruce Bochy came out of retirement for this. He already had three rings with the San Francisco Giants, and honestly, he had nothing left to prove.
But his steady hand was exactly what this young, high-powered roster needed. Bochy became just the sixth manager in history to win four World Series titles. He’s basically a lock for the Hall of Fame now, if he wasn't already. His ability to manage a bullpen that struggled for most of the regular season was the "secret sauce" of the 2023 run. He pushed all the right buttons at the right times.
Key Contributors You Might Have Forgotten
While Seager got the hardware, a few other names deserve a shoutout for why the Rangers are the ones we mention when asking who won the world series last year 2023.
✨ Don't miss: Cómo entender la tabla de Copa Oro y por qué los puntos no siempre cuentan la historia completa
- Adolis García: Before he got hurt in Game 3, "El Bombi" was the most dangerous hitter on the planet. His walk-off in Game 1 is a "where were you" moment for Rangers fans.
- Evan Carter: A rookie who was in Double-A just months earlier. He played like a ten-year veteran, reaching base constantly and playing stellar defense.
- Josh Sborz: The guy who threw the final pitch. He was a revelation in the playoffs after an up-and-down regular season.
- Nathan Eovaldi: He became the first pitcher ever to win five starts in a single postseason.
What This Win Meant for Baseball
This victory changed the narrative for the Texas Rangers. They were the team that famously came within one strike of winning it all twice in 2011, only to have it ripped away by the Cardinals. That scar ran deep in Arlington.
Winning in 2023 didn't just add a trophy to the case; it exorcised those demons. It also proved that the "new" playoff format—the one with more Wild Cards—can lead to some of the most unpredictable and exciting baseball we’ve seen in years.
Arizona deserves a ton of respect, too. They won only 84 games in the regular season. They weren't even supposed to make the playoffs, let alone the World Series. Their run was a testament to "getting hot at the right time," but in the end, the Rangers’ star power was just too overwhelming.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the 2023 season or want to prep for the upcoming year, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Study the "Road Win" Phenomenon: Look at how the Rangers approached road games. Their aggressive early-inning hitting often silenced home crowds, a tactic that many teams are now trying to replicate.
- Watch the Game 1 Highlights: If you only watch one game from the series, make it Game 1. It encapsulates the "never-say-die" attitude of that squad.
- Monitor the 2024/2025 Roster: Many of the core players from the 2023 championship, like Seager and Semien, are locked into long-term deals. The Rangers aren't going away anytime soon.
The 2023 World Series was a reminder that in baseball, your regular-season win total doesn't grant you a trophy. It’s about who can survive the gauntlet of October. The Texas Rangers survived, conquered, and finally got to have their parade.