Time to have Lone Star ball

A clean slate for Astros, Rangers

Houston dominated Texas during the regular season, winning nine of 13 matchups.

Now the Rangers get another chance at the Astros when they meet for the first time in the playoffs in a Texas-sized showdown with a trip to the World Series on the line starting Sunday night in Houston.

The Astros completed the regular season matchup against the Rangers with a three-game sweep at the beginning of September. Houston hit 16 homers to claim the games by a combined 39-10.

But despite the lopsided results this season, both teams say they’ll start with a clean slate.

“I think it’s a different game. Playoffs is a different brand of baseball,” Houston Game 1 starter Justin Verlander said.

That series in September was during the worst slump of the season for the Rangers, who were without third baseman Josh Jung and who lost Adolis García during the series.

Texas first baseman Nathaniel Lowe also noted that 21-yearold outfielder Evan Carter wasn’t even in the majors the last time the Rangers met the Astros.

“I think we were missing two or three bats, two or three starting bats. Evan was still in high school,” Lowe joked. “We had a couple pieces that weren’t fully, fully firing on all pistons.”

Houston’s success in the head-to-head matchup allowed the Astros to win the AL West while the Rangers had to play in the Wild Card Series after both teams finished with 90-72 records.

Now both teams are back to full strength and prepared to fight for the Lone Star state crown.

Carroll’s grown quick

It’s hard to find much that can fluster Arizona rookie Corbin Carroll, the team’s soft-spoken speedster, who in his first postseason has been a whirlwind of stolen bases, solid defense, line drives, and long homers.

“If you really want to see my adrenaline flowing, make me do, like, a public speech or something,” Carroll said, laughing.

It’s safe to say staring at about 50 reporters during a Division Series pregame news conference wasn’t Carroll’s favorite activity, but the 23-year-old outfielder is starting to get used to being a baseball star.

“I think the exciting thing is we’re still getting better,” the NL Rookie of the Year favorite said. “Still adapting to this level. Still kind of going through the trials and tribulations and coming out the other side a better product. I think there’s a lot to be excited about.”

The surprising Diamondbacks, who at 84-78 squeezed into the playoffs, will meet the Phillies in the NL Championship Series starting Monday in Philadelphia. Arizona is 5-0 in the postseason, and Carroll has been a catalyst, batting .412 with 2 homers, 6 walks, and 2 stolen bases.

Closer Paul Sewald is used to being on a team with a young phenom. He was traded to the desert on July 31 from Seattle, where he watched 2022 AL Rookie of the Year Julio Rodríguez become one of the game’s best players as a 21-yearold.

“I don’t understand it — it took me four years to learn how to play in this league,” Sewald said. “I guess when you’re the 1 percent of the 1 percent in the major leagues, it’s just something special.”

The Diamondbacks recognized that “it” factor last year during Carroll’s 32-game cameo at the end of the season. He hit .260 with 9 doubles, 4 homers, and 2 stolen bases, showing general manager Mike Hazen all he needed to see before signing him to an $111 million, eightyear deal during spring training. Semien father of four

The fourth child for Marcus Semien and his wife Tarah was due during the AL Championship Series. When her doctor said she was far enough along that it was safe to induce, Tarah told the Rangers’ second baseman they’d be having their baby in the break before the series opener. He rejoined the team Friday after spending a couple of days with his family for the birth of his first daughter, Amelie Carol Anne. Both mother and baby are doing well . . . Houston reliever Kendall Graveman won’t be on the AL Championship Series roster because of right shoulder discomfort. The righthander, acquired in a trade with the White Sox in July, missed the Division Series but had hoped that he could recover in time for the next round.