ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Evan Carter established himself as a top candidate for AL Rookie of the Year this season with how he burst onto the scene late in the Texas Rangers’ run to their first World Series title.
While that is still the case, Carter hasn’t even been the most talked about rookie outfielder on his own team this spring.
Wyatt Langford followed an impressive ascension through the Rangers’ minor league system last summer, after being their first-round draft pick, by hitting .365 with six homers and 20 RBIs in 21 spring training games.
Carter and Langford will both be in the starting lineup Thursday night, along with six All-Stars, when the Rangers raise a championship banner and play their season opener against the Chicago Cubs.
Texas Rangers' Wyatt Langford waits for a pitch during the second inning of a spring training baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Monday, March 25, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Hodde)
“Evan is ready, and he showed that last year. And we feel the same with Wyatt. We feel like he’s passed the test. He’s done the things that we’ve wanted to see and he answered the questions that we’ve had. And we think he makes us a better team and ultimately has shown he’s ready,” general manager Chris Young said. “They’re one of the best 13 major league players that we have right now on the position player side. And so we want to win games, and we feel like they give us the best chance to win.”
Langford and Carter go into the season as the top two candidates for AL Rookie of the Year, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Langford opened with a slight edge, given a 28.6% chance to win the award with Carter at 23.8%. Only two Rangers have won the award, reliever Neftali Feliz on their 2010 AL championship team and first baseman Mike Hargrove in 1974.
After Carter's call-up in September as an injury fill-in, making his big league debut 10 days after his 21st birthday, he hit .306 with five homers and 12 RBIs in 23 games to finish the regular season. The left fielder then reached base in all 17 of the Rangers' postseason games, hitting .300 with an MLB postseason record nine doubles. He also had 10 walks.
Carter still classifies as a rookie since he has only 62 at-bats and 24 days of big league service in the regular season. He had almost as many postseason at-bats (60).
Texas Rangers' Wyatt Langford runs from second to third base on Jared Walsh's RBI single during the second inning of a spring training baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Monday, March 25, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Hodde)
The 22-year-old Langford was the fourth overall pick in the amateur draft last summer after playing in the College World Series with Florida. He then quickly rose through the Rangers' system, hitting a combined .360 with 10 homers and 30 RBIs and posting a .480 on-base percentage in 44 games spread over four different levels — from rookie ball to Triple-A. This spring, he was among the top seven league-wide in batting average, homers, RBIs.
“A calm confidence. ... He was just who he was, and dominated in spring training,” said Josh Jung, the All-Star third baseman Langford lived with in Arizona this spring. “He's a special talent.”
Since the draft began in 1965, the only position players on an opening day roster with fewer professional games played were Pete Incaviglia with the Rangers in 1986 and John Olerud with Toronto in 1990, according to MLB.com.
Bruce Bochy, whose World Series title in his debut with the Rangers was his fourth as a manager, has obviously been impressed by two rookies he will write into his opening-day lineup.
“Both of them have that quiet confidence about them, and self-assurance that they belong, but not in any kind of arrogant way,” Bochy said. “They remind me of each other how they’ve handled it.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Texas Rangers' Wyatt Langford connects on a double during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Boston Red Sox Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. Boston won 4-1. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
NEW YORK (AP) — Mika Zibanejad helped the New York Rangers get off to a strong start in their first game in a week, and they held on to get a big win in their second-round series opener against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Zibanejad had two goals and an assist, Artemi Panarin also scored and the Rangers beat the Hurricanes 4-3 on Sunday in Game 1.
Vincent Trocheck had a goal and an assist, and Chris Kreider had two assists as the Rangers, playing for the first time since completing their first-round sweep of Washington one week earlier, won their seventh straight including the regular season.
“We really wanted to have a good start, especially at home, Game 1,” Zibanejad said. “Been off for a few days and been able to rest, and I thought that was most noticeable. Guys were excited to play and when we're able to score on our chances early on and get a little bit momentum, that was good.”
Igor Shesterkin stopped 22 shots to become the third goalie in franchise history to open a postseason with five straight wins, joining Dave Kerr (1937) and Mike Richter (1994).
“A week out from the last time you played, I thought the start was really good and we followed that through right through the game," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said.
Jaccob Slavin, Martin Necas and Seth Jarvis each had a goal for Carolina, which last played Tuesday night when it finished its first-round win against the New York Islanders. Frederik Andersen finished with 19 saves.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night.
The Hurricanes had the second-best power play in the NHL during the season and the top penalty-killing unit. However, they went 0 for 5 with five shots on goals during the advantages against a Rangers team that was third on the PK. New York was 2 for 2 on its power plays that totaled 23 seconds.
“I thought we played a pretty good game,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. ”On a couple of (penalty) kills we didn't quite execute right and they did. ... We were just a step off and that's the difference. It's tough because we played pretty hard. Overall, as the game went on we got a little better."
Necas got in alone on Shesterkin early in the third period and quickly put it through the goalie's legs to pull the Hurricanes to 3-2 at 2:48.
Panarin beat Andersen from the left circle at 8:21 to restore the Rangers' two-goal lead. It was his third of the playoffs after finishing with a career-high 49 in the regular season.
Carolina pulled Andersen for an extra skater with 3 minutes to go, and Jarvis scored from the left side with 1:45 remaining.
Shesterkin made a glove save on Andrei Svechnikov with just under a minute remaining to preserve the Rangers' lead.
Jacob Trouba was sent off for cross-checking 2 1/2 minutes into the second period. The Hurricanes got one shot on goal during the advantage. After the penalty expired, the Hurricanes' Jordan Staal had a breakaway but his attempt was gloved aside by Shesterkin.
The Hurricanes got another power play with 4:46 left in the period, but did not get a shot on goal during the advantage. '
Zibanejad got the Rangers on the scoreboard on the game's first shot on goal 2:46 into the game. Jack Roslovic skated around the back of the net and sent a pass in front and Zibanejad put it past Andersen.'
Slavin tied it 1:02 later on the Hurricanes' first shot as he fired a shot from the left point that bounced and went over Shesterkin's right shoulder.
Carolina defenseman Brady Skjei sent a shot off the right post 20 seconds later.
The Hurricanes got the first power play of the day when Kreider was sent off for boarding at 6:14. A little more than a minute later, Necas skated in on Shesterkin from the right side and hit the left post.
New York went on the power play midway through the period when former Ranger Tony DeAngelo was sent off for roughing. New York needed just 9 seconds to take advantage as Kreider got the puck on the right doorstep and sent a no-look pass to the left to Zibanejad, who fired it in.
The Rangers got their second power play with 3:46 remaining, and needed just 14 seconds to score as Trocheck backhanded the rebound of Zibanejad's shot in front past Andersen to make it 3-1.
“First game, new round and the crowd was into it," Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho said. "We need a better start.”
It was Trocheck's fourth of the playoffs and gave him a goal in four straight games and a point in five straight.
“He’s somebody that we just count on for both sides of the puck, offensively and defensively,” Laviolette said. “Tonight was more just a reflection of the regular season.”
Zibanejad has an 11-game point streak, including the regular season, with five goals and 13 assists in the stretch. Roslovic extended his point streak to six games.
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.ap)news.com/hub/NHL
Carolina Hurricanes center Martin Necas, defenseman Brady Skjei and New York Rangers left wing Will Cuylle fight for the puck during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (16) and Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal fight for the puck during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen makes a save against the New York Rangers during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren, left wing Jimmy Vesey and others celebrate following center Mika Zibanejad's goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) looks on as New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad and left wing Chris Kreider celebrate following Zibanejad's goal during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin watches the puck during the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren (55) skates with the puck during the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, right, celebrates after his goal as Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) looks on during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Rangers defenseman Erik Gustafsson (56), left wing Jimmy Vesey and others celebrate center Vincent Trocheck's goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
