AL DIVISION SERIES: RANGERS VS ORIOLES

October 7, 2023

Evan Carter

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Texas Rangers

Postgame 1 Press Conference

Texas 3, Baltimore 2

Q. I'm pretty sure you got called up a month from tomorrow. So I'm just curious, what were you doing a month ago today?

EVAN CARTER: A month ago today? I guess I was in -- I was in Double-A, grinding it out in the Texas heat. It was probably 110 degrees somewhere, I don't remember where we were at. This is really exciting up here, too.

Q. In those last few days before you got called up did you give any thought to being in this situation, specifically, playing in the postseason for the Rangers?

EVAN CARTER: You know, especially when you get moved up to Triple-A there at the end you never want to assume anything is going to happen. But you always know you're going to be prepared in the back of your head. So no matter if you're in Double-A or Triple-A, whatever, you want to help the team win a World Series and that's the goal.

Q. What was your thought process when you saw the lineup today?

EVAN CARTER: Yeah, you know, hitting doesn't change for me. But the only thing I guess the mindset was, my change, was situationally, there might be more runners on base in front of me, you might be more in an RBI situation. So that showed up for me today and that was pretty cool. My approach to hitting, nothing changes.

Q. Josh being a rookie, as well, and him coming up last year, and then having a start as he did. What is it like for you to watch him and grow alongside him in the game?

EVAN CARTER: He's on a long list of people that have helped me out a lot this year, as far as just pointing me in the right direction with routines, hey, this is what this guy feels like, this is how you act. A long list of people and things that have helped me out, coaches and players, alike, so I'm really grateful for that.

Q. Do you ever see your numbers up on the scoreboard and some of the things you're doing right now?

EVAN CARTER: My buddy Tom Sagesse, back in Double-A, always told me never to look at the scoreboard. So I try not to. I know those are numbers are just numbers, you just want to help the team win right now.

Q. What does it do for a team when you win a game like this and kind of escape and make that 3-2 score stand up? And what has it been like watch Bochy push buttons in the game?

EVAN CARTER: Right now a win is a win no Matter what it looks like. It's a big one to come in on the read, first game to get that. It's good for the club. It's good going forward. We KEEPT the pedal to the metal tomorrow. And as far as skip goes, that's definitely somebody you love with all the experience, to be able to look to him, and he's leading the ship and that's who you wants up there.

Q. I think you were known as Mr. 3-2 count in the minors. But the RBI double the first pitch, did you look at swinging on the first pitch?

EVAN CARTER: With the runner on second after a Bud EL by NOEL I, I don't necessarily want to go up and see a bunch of pitches and draw a walk. That's one of the RBI situational hitting times. That's what the team needs to put something in play. So that was kind of the mindset with that.

Q. Has anything -- has there been any moment where you realized how great you've gotten so quickly ^ .

EVAN CARTER: This is definitely a bigger stage, I guess. There's more coverage than the Minor Leagues, but I'm going to try to stay as grounded as possible. I've got a really good support system, so I'm going to try to keep it that way.

Q. There's never been a moment and you have five hundred text messages or whatever?

EVAN CARTER: Sure, it's definitely a lot of people, especially from back home and stuff, everybody is keeping up with me, so it's really cool.