The Texas Rangers marked a historic moment in their franchise history as they kicked off the season opener against the Chicago Cubs with a special celebration. The banner was dropped from Globe Life Field’s roof support high above right field, and the Commissioner’s Trophy was brought to home plate by manager Bruce Bochy and pitcher Josh Sborz, who recorded the final out in the clinching Game 5 against the Arizona Diamondbacks in November.
The players were encouraged to take it all in and enjoy the celebration as they received their championship rings before the second game of the series on Saturday night. This championship marked the first time that the Rangers had won a World Series since joining Texas in 1968, and only their third overall for the franchise that started out in Washington D.C. as Senators.
Despite losing in their two previous World Series appearances, this time around, they finally clinched victory after coming close in 2010 and 2011. Pitcher Max Scherzer emphasized that it was important to celebrate with fans after missing out on doing so during last year’s celebrations due to COVID-19 restrictions. Watching from his dugout, Cubs manager Craig Counsel couldn’t help but feel a sense of jealousy towards the Rangers’ accomplishment.