To many, October is time for football. However, to baseball junkies, it’s the best time of the year, it’s playoff time. The time when no matter how many games you win, no team is safe. This year the ALCS (American League Championship Series) consists of the Houston Astros (reigning World Series champions) and the Texas Rangers. For once baseball is the main topic in Texas. The NLCS (National League Championship Series) is between the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Long Time No See
The Astros and Phillies are looking for a rematch. Going to the World Series once is phenomenal, but twice? The last time this occurred was when the New York Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers two Fall Classics in a row. The Diamondbacks haven’t been to the NLCS since 2007, and the Rangers were last there in 2011. What will be the outcome? It’s the talk of the town on ESPN.

Shocking Everyone
No one expected the Diamondbacks to even be in the playoffs, let alone fighting for a World Series ring. And intrastate ALCS?  Of course, that was in the script for the playoffs. Even some of the experts didn’t see this coming. As of May 3, 2023, BetMGM had the Rangers’ odds of making the playoffs at +275, large underdogs.

What To Expect
As of October 18, the Texas Rangers are up 2-0 against the Astros. With the Rangers having home-field advantage at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas for games 3 and 4, everyone hopes for a clean sweep of their in-state rival. Although, no one would be surprised if this experienced Astros team held on for a few games.

The Phillies are also up 2-0 to their respective opponents, the Diamondbacks. The atmosphere for the first two games has been incredible, Philly is known for their insane sports fans and they sure came out for games 1 & 2. So, personally, I would love for this series to go to six games just to see all of the Phillies fans celebrate their team.

Ready to Reel it All in
At the beginning of the playoffs, it was anyone’s guess who would win. The best guess was the Atlanta Braves who had the best record in the MLB in 162 games. However, they lost to the Phillies in the NLDS. Some are never ready for baseball to end, but maybe fall is for football. Buckle up, and watch the end of a season like we’ve never seen before.