AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: RANGERS VS ASTROS

October 22, 2023

Bruce Bochy

Minute Maid Park

Texas Rangers

Pregame 6 Press Conference

Q. Since you guys have reached this round of the playoffs and are flirting with the World Series, it seems like the expectation now every year will be to be at this point. So how do you embrace that, how does the team embrace that?

BRUCE BOCHY: I think you should embrace it. That's why you play the game. You have to be grateful we have ownership, Ray Davis who went out and acquired the players to help us get to this point, has given us resources and tools to be competitive every day.

C.Y., Chris Young, what a job he's done. We got banged up at the deadline, he went out and got us some help, Montgomery and Stratton.

You should embrace it. I think we've all been on the other side at some point.

Looking forward to it. That's what it's about.

Q. So what does that do for your long-term prospects?

BRUCE BOCHY: For me?

Q. Yeah.

BRUCE BOCHY: I don't know, I haven't thought about it. Right now I'm thinking about tonight. I'll put some thought into it for you.

No, I'm excited, to be honest. I'm really excited. I was this spring when I looked out there and saw the team and the talent that we have both in the position player side and pitching side.

And then I look at the young kids that are coming up. Of course, Carter is here. You look at Josh Jung, what he's done. Jonah Heim, how much progress he's made. We've got some good young kids coming up not far away. So you should be excited if you're a Texas Ranger.

Q. Do you reach back into your managerial experience in the past of having your team right here in 6, needing to get to 7, anything from the past you can pull in and use here?

BRUCE BOCHY: I think you always reach back from experience. That's something we all -- whether something didn't work out or something did work out, learn from, get better. Hopefully that's the case.

But it's pretty simple, we have to go out and execute, play our best game, get a timely hit. Hopefully pitching does their thing, starting with Nate. It's going to be a battle out there.

More than anything, make sure the club is in the right frame of mind. I love the mood, the pulse of the club right now. But they have put that behind them all year, the tough games, the streaks, the injuries, they haven't let that faze them. They keep getting up. And that's what I love about this team.

Q. You said that you were going to keep Semien in the lineup. Have you spoken to him today at all? Has he put too much pressure on himself at all?

BRUCE BOCHY: He's a pro. He's been around. I don't think I need to say anything, just stay behind him and put him in a leadoff spot. He's one of our guys. He's been there every day, I mean, played every game, every postseason game in a leadoff spot. I'm not going to change that right now.