PHOENIX — Travis Jankowski was appreciative of getting to play for a “top-class organization” during his stint with the Mets in 2022.
“[But] things didn’t work out well for me there and I am pretty excited to be playing for the Texas Rangers,” Jankowski said this week.
Seizing the opportunity he was presented, Jankowski took Adolis Garcia’s spot in the starting lineup in Tuesday’s Game 4 of the World Series and went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in his team’s 11-7 victory over the Diamondbacks that set the stage for the Rangers to win the franchise’s first World Series with Wednesday’s 5-0 victory.
The Rangers removed Garcia from the roster after he strained his left oblique in Game 3.
For Jankowski — a former Stony Brook standout — it has presented the chance of a lifetime. He was back in the lineup as the right fielder and batting ninth on Wednesday.
“I got some good sleep [Tuesday] night,” said Jankowski, who went 0-for-3 with a walk in Wednesday’s clincher. “That being said, yeah, it was a different experience for me. It’s one of the things I’ll reflect upon in a couple of weeks, once this job is done.”
Jankowski owned a .263/.357/.332 slash line with one homer and 30 RBIs in 107 games for the Rangers.
“He’s been solid for us with the injuries we’ve had to deal with,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “He gives you defense, speed. He gives you good at-bats up there. He has good discipline at the plate. Just a solid signing for us.”
D’backs manager Torey Lovullo admitted he would like a do-over on his decision to pitch to Corey Seager with first base open and two outs on Tuesday.
Seager smashed a two-run homer in the second inning that gave the Rangers a 5-0 lead.
The blast was Seager’s sixth in this postseason.
“It wasn’t a great decision by me,” Lovullo said. “I have got to be better, no doubt about it. I’ve been in situations like that. I’ve been in the dugout with a hot hitter. I’ve been watching hot hitters. We’ve got to be better.”
Bochy joined an exclusive club of managers with four or more championships.
The only managers with at least four World Series titles: Joe McCarthy (seven), Casey Stengel (seven), Connie Mack (five), Walter Alston (four) and Joe Torre (four). Bochy won three of his titles with the Giants.
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