Texas Rangers Flip Batting Order Flip for World Series Game 3 at Diamondbacks

Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy explains the significant move in the top half of the batting order for Game 3 of the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

PHOENIX — The Texas Rangers made a significant change to their batting order for Game 3 of the World Series on Tuesday night.

Adolis García and Evan Carter are still in the lineup against Arizona Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt in the first game at Chase Field, but are not hitting in the same spots as they did in the first two games.

García will move up from his clean-up stop to bat third, while the rookie Carter will slide back to a spot to fourth.

It’s a significant change brought on by manager Bruce Bochy’s desire to break up hitters from the same side of the plate.

Rangers right fielder Adolis Garcia batting third for the first time in the Worlds Series in Game 3 / © Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

“More than anything I just wanted to break up the lefties,” Bochy said. “I talked to them both and they’re comfortable in either spot.”

With García third and Carter fourth, the Rangers will flip from right-hander to left-hander in the first five spots in the order, with right-handed Mitch Garver batting fifth.

For Carter, he will be the fifth-youngest player to bat cleanup in a World Series game (21 years, 62 days). He’s behind Claudell Washington, Miguel Cabrera, Ty Cobb and Juan Soto. The other four weren’t quite 21 years old.

The rest of the Rangers’ batting order is the same from the first two games, with right-hander hitter Marcus Semien and lefty Corey Seager occupying the first two spots.

After Carter, the Rangers will bat Garver, Jonah Heim, Nathaniel Lowe, Josh Jung and Leody Taveras.

Lowe is also a left-handed hitter, while Heim and Taveras are switch-hitters.

The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1 with the next three games in Phoenix. Max Scherzer is starting for Texas.

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