Faith in Action: First World Series Championship in Team History [VIDEO]

Faith was proclaimed at this year’s World Series.

The winning team, the Texas Rangers was the only team that refused to force its players to participate in LGBTQ events. So, they became “controversial” and no one really thought they would be in the World Series.

In fact, two unlikely teams played each other in this year’s Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series.

But they won. And across the media, the world saw many players giving glory to God and praising Jesus Christ.

Unlikely because they were both Wild Card entries in the MLB playoffs – meaning they were teams that did not win their divisions within the American and National Leagues.

For those of you that may not follow Major League Baseball, there are three divisions in the American League and three divisions in the National League. This produces six division winners for the playoffs that determine the two World Series competitors. Each league also adds one “wild card” team consisting of the second-place team with the best won-lost record. This results in an even number of teams from each league competing for its World Series team.

The Texas Rangers from the American League and the Arizona Diamondbacks from the National League were the two Wild Card teams in the playoffs. To earn the right to play each other in the 2023 World Series, they both had to eliminate teams having much better won-lost records during the regular season.

Only three times in MLB history have two Wild Card teams played each other in the World Series – in 2002, 2014, and this year, 2023.

After splitting the first two games of the series with the Diamondbacks in Arlington, Texas, the Rangers won the next three straight games in Arizona to win the best-of-seven series in five games.

It was their first World Series championship in their 63-year franchise history.

And many of the players expressed thankfulness to God for their success during the playoffs.

“This is just an unbelievable experience,” rookie left fielder Evan Carter told the MLB network following the Rangers’ game-five victory. “What a group of guys to experience it with. I’m blessed to be here. It’s unbelievable… what a dream come true.”

Carter wore a Texas Ranger-blue T-shirt after the game that had the words “JESUS WON” on the front.

He was in the minor leagues for most of the season and wasn’t even on the team roster until he was called up in September. But when the playoffs began, he was a starter and was batting 3^rd in the lineup – the position usually occupied by a team’s best hitter.

A core group of experienced MLB veterans led the Texas Rangers to victory during the playoffs and World Series, but Carter and fellow rookie Josh Jung played key roles during the team’s historic run – which included 11 consecutive road game victories!

And their Christian faith was on full display – not only during the playoffs and World Series, but during the entire season as well.

Josh Jung states in his bio, “Baseball is what I do, not who I am…” He also calls himself a “Competitor for Christ.”

“I gave my life to Christ my freshman year of high school,” Jung told HisHuddle.com. “And then my freshman year of college was the first time I took that step of a personal journey with Him. My three years in college were awesome in many ways, but the thing that really hit home with me are (sic) the memories of sharing my story with God to others.”

Just before Evan Carter was called up to the Texas Rangers from the minor league, he told reporters he was grateful to God for the opportunity to play for his favorite team from his childhood.

During the postseason, Carter hit 9 doubles – the most two-base hits of any major league player ever in a single postseason.

Tony Beasley, Third Base Coach of the Texas Rangers since 2015, recently said, “Anyone that interviews me or gives me an opportunity to speak, God’s going to receive the glory.

And the Christian faith of Rangers pitcher Jose Leclerc was also on display during the World Series, as he also wore a “JESUS WON” T-shirt.

Watch this 3 ½ minute interview with Evan Carter after the final game of the World Series.

What do you think? Email me at craig@craighuey.com.

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