MLB WORLD SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS RANGERS

October 30, 2023

Mitch Garver

Chase Field

Texas Rangers

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. Your thoughts on the roof being open and how it can affect the game?

MITCH GARVER: You tell me. I really don't know. This is my second series playing here in Arizona. I know at our park, the ball flies a little bit further, I think 11 to 12 feet further on average.

I don't know how it plays here. We'll see.

Q. I don't think you faced Brandon Pfaadt before. In your daily preparation when you're taking on a guy you've never seen before is there some commonality for preparing for a guy you haven't seen?

MITCH GARVER: Try to compare them to pitchers of the past, look at what he's done to my fellow teammates because there's a lot of similarities when it comes to scouting this. I feel like there's a few guys I can look after and see how they got attacked and try to follow that. Just trust my eyes, really, trust my eyes and my training that I've done.

Q. I was just wondering if you could talk a little bit about Jon. Looks like he'll probably start tomorrow. I know you haven't caught in a while but in terms of catching Jon Gray, when he's pitching well what are things he does well in terms of helping you guys keep guys off base?

MITCH GARVER: The number one thing for him is the slider. But fastball command is a big part of it. He likes to move his ball around when he's throwing his fastball. Working both sides of the plate and up at the top of the zone.

If he can command his fastball, it helps his slider out a lot. And we'll see how it works with his other pitches. But those are the two big things for him.

Q. Very different circumstances, but after the loss in Game 5 in Houston, you guys talked about how important the trip down there was, a mental reset, and you guys did what you did in Game 6 and 7. Any similarity with this trip coming out here to be mentally ready for games 3, 4, and 5?

MITCH GARVER: For sure. It's always tough to bounce back after a loss, but it's something that's our strength as a team. And we're looking to compete. And there's really nothing you can hold back at this point. It is the World Series.

If that doesn't motivate you enough to get up for a game, then I don't know what will. So we have that working for us, and we're going to come out and play Rangers baseball the way we know how.

Q. Just going off of that, what about this team do you think plays so well on the road? Why do you guys have so much success?

MITCH GARVER: I really don't know. It's something that you can't put a finger on.

Maybe it's scoring first. That might be it. I don't know. It seems like when we score first we have a pretty good record. But maybe it's just the change of scenery, getting out of town and getting all 25 of us together and trying to win a ball game.

But we do seem to play pretty well on the road. Maybe it's the hot dogs, I don't know. (Laughter).