The Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays will continue the best-of-three American League Wild Card Series with Game 2 at Tropicana Field on Wednesday afternoon. Jordan Montgomery pitched Texas to an authoritative Game 1 win Tuesday and the Rangers now have two chances to punch their ticket to the ALDS. The Rays played a very sloppy game in Game 1 and have to pull it together if they want a shot.
You can view the full postseason schedule by clicking here, and here's the 2023 playoff bracket. Now, let's get to the important stuff for Game 2.
How to watch Game 2
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 4 | Time: 3:08 p.m. ET
Location: Tropicana Field (St. Petersburg, Fla.)
TV channel: ABC | Live stream: fubo (try for free)
Starting pitchers: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (12-5, 3.63 ERA) vs. RHP Zach Eflin (16-8, 3.50 ERA)
Odds: TEX +135 | TB -160 | O/U: 8
Preview
Thanks to uncharacteristically sloppy Rays defense and Montgomery's excellence, the Rangers are one win away from the ALDS. Texas is heading into uncertain territory with its pitching now though. Eovaldi has not thrown more than five innings in a game since returning from an elbow injury last month and the bullpen can be very shaky. Tampa had an ugly game all around in Game 1. They have to clean up multiple things -- defense, offensive execution, etc. -- to make this a series. They played a very careless game in Game 1. Do that again and they'll be sent home Wednesday.
Prediction
The Rays aren't going to go two and out again in the Wild Card Series for the second straight year, are they? I say no. I think they force a Game 3 with a tight Game 2 win Wednesday. Pick: Rays 2, Rangers 1
