The Cleveland Guardians are set to face off against the Texas Rangers in one of the first games of 2023 spring training. Both teams are coming off markedly different 2022 seasons, but both are looking towards the future now.
The Cleveland Guardians overcame the odds and won 92 games to clinch their first AL Central title since 2018. Stars like Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor combined with young talent like Steven Kwan to give the team the edge.
"UNREAL PLAY BY J-RAM AND JOSH NAYLOR (via @CleGuardians) - @ Fox Sports: MLB
The Texas Rangers, meanwhile, are victims of finding themselves in one of the toughest divisions in baseball. The team did make some key off-season additions to their rotation that are expected to boost the team's pitching strength.
The Rangers signed former 2-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom. 2023 will be his first season on a team other than the New York Mets. Additionally, Nathan Eovaldi will be another arm in their rotation. Eovaldi had a 3.67 ERA in 20 starts last season with the Boston Red Sox.
""We're excited, ready to get out here. Everybody talks about what they want to do, but we have to get out here and compete." Jacob deGrom and the @rangers are ready to get to work" - @ MLB Network
The game between the Guardians and Rangers is set to take place at the Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona. The Guardians share the facility with the Cincinnati Reds. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. local time.
The game will air on Bally Sports Southwest, Fox, and ESPN for fans within the Texas Rangers' catchment area. For fans tuning in from Cleveland, the game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Great Lakes.
For fans who want to stream the action, fuboTV is the best choice. Currently, a pro plan on fuboTV costs $69.99 per month and gives the subscriber a choice of MLB games, along with other channels like the MLB and NFL Networks.
The Texas Rangers and Cleveland Guardians both seek victory in their respective divisions
The Cleveland Guardians proved themselves to be the top team in their division last season, while teams like the LA Angels and the Houston Astros stand squarely in the way of the Rangers' path to their divisional title. This preseason matchup will give onlookers a good idea of the kind of play we are likely to see from both teams this year.