The Atlanta Braves put their team on notice with their high-powered offense all throughout the 2023 regular season. Assuming they don't get upset by the Phillies, the Braves are the ones to watch this postseason.
They're not the only ones, though. A dark horse offense taking the league by storm is across the country in the American League: Texas Rangers. The wild-card Rangers squeaked into the playoffs but have since outscored their opponents by 25-11. And they did so against the Tampa Bay Rays and the Baltimore Orioles, the top two AL teams in the regular season.
At 2-0, Texas will try to sweep the Orioles in Game 3 of the ALDS on Tuesday following a dominant offensive showing in Game 2's 11-8 victory.
The Rangers' hitting lineup currently ranks in the top five of multiple offensive categories including OBP, SLG, and WRC+. The Braves are the Braves, and they remain perhaps in a tier of their own. But don't sleep on Texas blowing by Baltimore and fielding one of the most in-form offenses in October.
Texas Rangers' offense has scorched Tampa Bay, Baltimore in 2023 MLB postseason
After a nervy 3-2 win in Game 1 against the Orioles, the Rangers found their groove and managed to give themselves a tremendous 9-2 lead by the third inning in Game 2. The Rangers scored five runs in the second and four more in the third, including a grand slam by Mitch Garver.
In total, the Rangers recorded 11 hits, 11 walks, and 11 runs; rising 2023 World Series MVP Corey Seager walked five times.
Texas' lineup features power across the board from two-time All-Stars Marcus Semien and Adolis Garcia to up-and-coming rookie Evan Carter, who only played 23 major league games before the postseason.
In Game 2's win, the Rangers' offense gave the team enough insurance to hold onto the lead and come away with a 2-0 advantage over the AL East champs. They'll get home advantage for Game 3, where crowds will no doubt be cheering their star sluggers on; the rest of the league, too, should be watching.
