It wasn’t difficult to imagine a scenario in which the Rays and Rangers met up in the postseason earlier in 2023. On June 1, the Rays had the best record in baseball. The Rangers, the second-best.
But the toll of the season has had its impact on both teams. The Rays have lost countless starting pitchers and All-Star shortstop Wander Franco. The Rangers have seen regression from key pitchers, and have felt the loss of Jacob deGrom, the expected ace from free agency.
Still, this has all the makings of a high-profile series. It will be the only wild-card series between teams that both rank in the top 10 in home runs across MLB.
MORE: Watch select MLB postseason games live with Fubo (free trial)
There aren’t many lineup trios as scary in the American League as Marcus Semien, Corey Seager and Adolis Garcia. The former two, both acquired in free agency before 2022, have lived up to the hype in 2023 with MVP-caliber seasons, while Garcia has built on a 2022 breakout with a 39-homer season. Add in feared batters like Nathaniel Lowe, Josh Jung and Mitch Garver, and this is a lineup few pitching staffs will want to face.
But even without Franco in the Rays’ lineup, Tampa Bay is loaded with lineup depth. Randy Arozarena is the postseason star, but Jose Siri, Yandy Diaz, Isaac Paredes and Josh Lowe — Nathaniel’s brother — make this a ferocious lineup that has no easy outs from top to bottom.
Looking forward to watch the Rays take on the Rangers? Here’s what you need to know about the Rays-Rangers wild-card series.
Rays vs. Rangers schedule
The Rays will host the Rangers in a three-game series at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.
| Date | Game | Start time (ET) | TV channel | Result |
| Oct. 3 | Rangers at Rays | 3:08 p.m. | ABC | — |
| Oct. 4 | Rangers at Rays | 3:08 p.m. | ABC | — |
| Oct. 5 | Rangers at Rays* | 3:08 p.m. | ABC | — |
* – if necessary
MORE: Why Rays star Wander Franco is off playoff roster amid investigation
How to watch 2023 MLB playoff games
The entire 2023 MLB wild-card round will be carried by ESPN. The remainder of the postseason will be carried by TBS and the Fox family of networks.
The National League side of the playoffs will be carried exclusively by TBS, while the American League playoff games will be carried by either Fox or FS1. Each World Series game will be broadcast on Fox.
Rays vs. Rangers live streams
With their games appearing on ESPN, Rays vs. Rangers can be watched on either ESPN+ or with Fubo, which offers a free trial.
Rays vs. Rangers odds
According to BetMGM, the Rays have -160 odds to advance to the ALDS, while the Rangers have +130 odds.
