AL DIVISION SERIES: RANGERS VS ORIOLES

October 9, 2023

Evan Carter

Globe Life Field

Texas Rangers

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. So you guys haven't been home for two weeks. Shoot, you came from -- do you even have a house? Are you staying in a hotel? What's your deal?

EVAN CARTER: Yeah. Gosh. I've been on the road since -- I guess, living out of the hotel since, like, August 22nd, I think. Since we were on the road in Double-A for a week and then I got called up to Triple-A, two weeks on the road there and been living either in a hotel on the road or in a hotel in Texas. So no, I do not have a house. I don't even know where I'm going to live this off-season. We're just kind of going with the flow right now.

Q. This journey, we ask you about it a lot. Now you maybe a have a little time to think about it, can you still believe where you were five weeks ago to where you are now?

EVAN CARTER: It's been awesome so far. It seems like forever ago, honestly. But no, I wouldn't have it any other way. It's been really fun so far. It's not over with yet. We're on a roll right now so hopefully we can get it going.

Q. Before now, what's the longest you've ever lived, stayed in a hotel, had a hotel life and does that present any difficulties?

EVAN CARTER: So I guess when I first got drafted, the COVID year, we lived in the Arizona, like, housing area, which I would consider, like, a hotel type thing at Spring Training for, gosh, like eight weeks or something like that. So you can't really leave the area. You don't have a car out there. All the COVID restrictions and stuff. So we're kind of used to it, I guess.

Q. So going from hitting ninth to fifth, did you make any adjustments at all? Do you see any difference in the role you're supposed to play like that, or do you still just approach it the same way, no matter where you're hitting in the lineup?

EVAN CARTER: I try to approach it the same way, no matter where I'm at. Especially in the playoffs, there's going to be a lot of situational hitting. There might be more runners on base in the five-hole when I'm hitting. So that just brings up some RBI opportunities, maybe some small ball might come about, you know, down the road. Who knows. Just whatever the game calls for is kind of what is going to be my approach for that at-bat.

Q. Do you have a spot in the lineup that you prefer better than another?

EVAN CARTER: I just like to be in the lineup, man. Doesn't matter to me.

Q. You guys played in a couple of hostile environments in Seattle at the end of the regular season and in Baltimore. How exciting is it to be home in front of home fans and hopefully have an environment of your own tomorrow?

EVAN CARTER: Yeah, it's going to be really fun. I'm excited to see the fans come out and support postseason baseball in Texas. It's going to be really fun. I know it's going to be a great crowd.

Q. Do you have any preference? Have you talked to the guys in the clubhouse about whether the roof's open or closed and do you know what your teammates would prefer?

EVAN CARTER: Actually, I haven't talked to anybody about that. I'm not sure what they prefer, honestly. It's no different to me, though. I think it's just cool that we have a roof. Whichever way it is, it's going to be good.

Q. The fans are good with that too.

EVAN CARTER: Yeah.

Q. Carter, where were you a year ago at this time?

EVAN CARTER: A year ago at this time, I was at home. It's the off-season. I was probably just hanging out right now, taking a couple weeks off from the season. It would have just gotten over with. But this is the longest I've played baseball in my life. But this is what you want to be doing. You don't want to be at home. So this has been fun.

Q. Evan, you weren't born when Creed really kind of came to be and their big songs were released. I'm curious, were you familiar with Creed before this? And we asked Boch what his favorite song was. He said he had too many to pick. Didn't say that, but what is your favorite Creed song?

EVAN CARTER: So, gosh, I had heard of Creed. But, you know, they do play it. It's on the bus, whatever. I don't know what -- the one that's six feet from the edge. That's kind of the popular song in there so that's kind of what I would consider my favorite, I guess, just because we hear it and there's a lot of handshakes and stuff with it and this, that, and the other. So it's fun.

Q. Given that the age difference, how does Bruce Bochy communicate so effectively with young players?

EVAN CARTER: I think there's so many different forms of communication. There's a lot of stuff of me just watching him, seeing how he handles himself, how he handles just the spotlight of, hey, this is -- he's the head of the ship. He jokes with us and, like I said, there's a lot of forms of communication, but he does an incredible job and I'm thankful to have him as the manager.

Q. So Evan, the regular season versus the postseason, does it feel appreciably different to you? Is there anything distinct that you've noticed different from one to the other?

EVAN CARTER: Yeah. I mean, the fans are definitely -- they're in it every pitch and not that we're not, but you're definitely kind of feel the intensity of all the little moments. But yeah, it's definitely -- stuff comes down to the wire. Everything is important. It always is, but it's just amplified, I guess, in the playoffs.