AL DIVISION SERIES: RANGERS VS ORIOLES

October 10, 2023

Leody Taveras

Globe Life Field

Texas Rangers

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. The kind of the makeup of this lineup, and we talked about the production at the bottom before, but how guys have moved around but have been very selfless in this lineup as far as not worrying about their own production, but worrying about the team. How much do you guys talk about that as a unit?

LEODY TAVERAS: They don't really talk about that kind of stuff. They try to work on things amongst each other, and that's how they try to keep it.

Q. Leody, you kind of struggled a little bit in August and you kind of pulled out of the slump in September and into the postseason. What changed for you during the time period to keep it going?

LEODY TAVERAS: In the season it's a lot of up and downs. We was trying to figure it out. We done it -- and so I made it. That best thing about that is I'm helping the team.

Q. What have these first four postseason games meant for you. You're not playing like you're overwhelmed. You're calm out there. What has it been like for you this week?

LEODY TAVERAS: It's been an incredible experience for me, and I'm thankful for the opportunity and very blessed to be part of it.

Q. What things did you work on with Donnie and Tim to, like you said, pull yourself out of that slump and help the team?

LEODY TAVERAS: A lot of things. My mechanic, my balance at the plate and most of the time the approach too.

Q. The biggest thing, right, was just moving your hands up? Was that the biggest thing mechanically at the plate was getting your hands higher in the batting stance again?

LEODY TAVERAS: It was my setup, my setup and what I'm looking for too.

Q. The other thing is this team, the free agent signings and the trade -- the pitchers that were acquired get a lot of headlines. But you and Josh Jung and Evan Carter all came through the system. What does it mean for guys who came through the system to actually see this team now having success and where the future could go for this organization?

LEODY TAVERAS: For me, it's a dream come true. As soon as I sign here, my mentality was to make it to the big leagues, but the goal is to win a World Series. So we're close right now, and that for me is a dream come true. So it's just about keep going.

Q. (Question in Spanish).

LEODY TAVERAS: Well, it was the influence that Bruce Bochy had on this team coming into the postseason. Bruce Bochy has had a tremendous influence. To be in this position, 2-0 in the postseason, is a very, very good feeling to have.

Q. Do you prefer the roof here to be open or closed? And why?

LEODY TAVERAS: Closed.

Q. Why?

LEODY TAVERAS: I feel every time it's open for me, I feel in another field. A different stadium for me, in my opinion.

Q. Leody, what's been the biggest difference for you this year compared to past years, when you're behind in the count and with two strikes?

LEODY TAVERAS: My mentality, not trying to do too much.

Q. Leody, when did you become a switch hitter, and who talked you into becoming a switch hitter?

LEODY TAVERAS: When I was like 8 years old. It was my cousin, Willy Taveras.

Q. Leody, do you have a favorite Creed song?

LEODY TAVERAS: Not yet. Not yet.

Q. So you said it plays like it's a different stadium. How does it play differently? What's different when the roof is open versus when the roof is closed?

LEODY TAVERAS: It's just how it look like. Like the ball, everything. Like their game, when the roof is up, it's different like we are outside. That's how it feels. That's my opinion.

Q. Does it feel like the ball carries more with the roof open?

LEODY TAVERAS: Yeah, carries more. On this part, it's better. The ball carry more for the hitters. For the other part, on how it look from the infield, it feel different.

Q. You're talking about defensively, you don't like it when you're in the outfield? That's the problem?

LEODY TAVERAS: Yes.

Q. Leody, you got to experience the postseason atmosphere in Baltimore. How excited are you to experience it here in front of the fans of the Rangers?

LEODY TAVERAS: I just want to see how it feel, our fans when they be loud. So I'm waiting for that moment.

Thank you, guys.