AL DIVISION SERIES: RANGERS VS ORIOLES

October 8, 2023

Bruce Bochy

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Texas Rangers

Pregame 2 Press Conference

Q. What did you like about hitting Mitch Garver in the 3 spot today?

BRUCE BOCHY: I told Mitch I would play him here to get him involved. Mitch did a great job for us this year, had a good year offensively. Hasn't had a start in a while. We just think he's somebody that does provide a bit more slug and good eye at the plate, so he'll give you long at-bats, too. Just time to get him out there.

Q. Due have an official 3 game starter?

BRUCE BOCHY: Yeah. Nate, he's set up to start that game. So took a bullpen. He took it after the game because of the rain. So we're pretty much set with that.

Q. How encouraging was it to see the game Nate pitched against Tampa after a few starts where he struggled?

BRUCE BOCHY: Really did a nice job. And really start before, early he was right on, hitting his spots. Stuff was where it normally was. And had a little hiccup in the third inning, but we were very encouraged then.

But he's been through this. And so I was not surprised to see how well he pitched in that game. He's always done a great job under pressure. What's important with him, he's healthy. He feels good. We got him up there as far as pitches, so he can go a hundred pitches no problem. It's good to have him back because we need him.

Q. Giving you have the chance to go up 2-0 in the series today, how important is it to put yourselves firmly in the driver's seat?

BRUCE BOCHY: That's every game you feel like that. You want to go to 2-0. They'll be doing the same. We're facing a good pitcher, obviously a great team. And to be on the road as long as we have and playing as well as we have, I'm proud of these guys. We'll be out there and doing all we can to try to get this one.

It's going to be good to head back home when this is done because we have been gone quite a while. We'll do all we can to get it.

Q. With Grayson, you faced him before, he got sent down, went through a reset. What is he doing differently than what you saw in those first couple of starts?

BRUCE BOCHY: He's got velo, he's got a big fastball and good slider, and a really good change-up. He likes to use it on the left-handers. I think it's just the case where he's made a couple of adjustments there. He's getting more time up here, he's getting more comfortable. He's done a great job for them. We know we have our hands full when you face a guy with his kind of stuff.

Q. The last couple of days anytime somebody asks you about Evan Carter, you get a big smile on your face. Does he remind you of anybody, being so young?

BRUCE BOCHY: I mean, I've have had some good young players, I've been fortunate. But he's right up there. At his age, to do the things that he's doing, the discipline and the calmness. And I'm smiling because he's always smiling. He plays the game you want your guys to play. That's have fun. Play with joy. He has that innocence about him you love. Doesn't matter where you play him or where you hit him, he just loves playing baseball, and he's playing it like he did two or three years ago when he was playing legion ball.

And he just has a great time and that's really cool to see how well he's handled himself. And I saw him in the spring, and handled himself great in his Big League camp the way he carried himself.

Q. We've asked you different questions about the road trip and how long it's been, but if you were describing this road trip to somebody, how would you describe it?

BRUCE BOCHY: Bumpy, exciting. It's been an emotional roller coaster. I think you started out in Anaheim, we took the series there, which we wanted to do. And then you go to Seattle. Got to win a game. We won a game. Hoping to win another one so we wouldn't have to go for Tampa, but it didn't happen. So that's never easy to handle.

But I couldn't be prouder of these guys. We had a five and a half hour flight to Tampa, how they were able to put that behind them and play two of their best games against an outstanding ball club, pitching, hitting, really all facets of the game. And so this club has just shown tremendous ability to put the tough times behind us. So we've done some celebrating. We've had some tough losses. So it's been an emotional roller coaster.