Way-Too-Early 2023 MLB Playoff Predictions
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New York's Aaron JudgeAP Photo/John Minchillo
With a little over 10 percent of the 2023 MLB regular season finished, the time has come for updated postseason projections.
At this point in the schedule, we're all still trying to separate fact from fiction.
For instance, is Philadelphia actually the second-best team in Pennsylvania?
Are Texas and Arizona legitimately the best teams out west?
And is Tampa Bay going to end the season as the best team in the majors?
For this exercise, we thought it would be fun to dig up our really way-too-early projections from the day after the 2022 World Series ended to do a little comparing and contrasting.
For what it's worth, seven of the 12 projected postseason teams remain the same as they were more than six months ago. However, four of the six division winners, the No. 1 seeds in each league and the projected World Series champion are all different now that we're a few weeks into the 2023 campaign.
We'll go division by division with updated projected win totals for every team before putting a bow on it all with rapid-fire, round-by-round predictions for the entire postseason.
Statistics and records current through the start of play Wednesday.
American League East
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Tampa Bay's Shane McClanahanMark Blinch/Getty Images
Biggest change since early November: Tampa Bay became a juggernaut
During their 13-0 start to the regular season, the Tampa Bay Rays outscored their competition by a combined total of 101-30. At the time, the next-best run differential behind TBR's plus-71 was Milwaukee's at plus-25.
We all marveled at the pitching staff allowing just 2.3 runs per game, but the offense was even more impressive. At the end of play on April 13, no other team had scored 80 runs. Yet, there sat the Rays at 101, averaging 7.8 runs per game.
The injury bug is doing everything in its power to keep this team grounded, focusing all of its voodoo on the starting rotation. Tyler Glasnow (oblique) has yet to pitch this season and isn't expected back until at least mid-May. Jeffrey Springs left his third start with an arm injury and is done for the year, slated for Tommy John surgery. Big offseason acquisition, Zach Eflin, made two starts before landing on the IL with lower-back tightness, though it at least sounds like he may be able to return to the mound this weekend.
It's a good thing this franchise knows a thing or two about using openers for a bullpen game, because there might be quite a few of those in their near future.
Still, the Rays have the best record in baseball and should be able to withstand a few weeks of trying to hold the rotation together with Band-Aids, provided that the offense continues destroying opposing starting rotations with regularity.
If they slip, though, there will be plenty of teams champing at the bit to win the AL East. Heading into play Wednesday, the entire division was .500 or better.
Projected AL East Standings
1. Tampa Bay Rays (98-64)
2. New York Yankees (95-67) (wild card)
3. Toronto Blue Jays (91-71) (wild card)
4. Baltimore Orioles (82-80)
5. Boston Red Sox (76-86)
American League Central
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Minnesota's Pablo LopezAP Photo/John Minchillo
Biggest change since early November: Minnesota is the team to beat
The Twins collapsed in rather spectacular fashion last season. They entered play on Labor Day at 68-64, tied with Cleveland for the AL Central lead. They went 10-20 the rest of the way, finishing 14 games behind the Guardians.
But while Cleveland did very little this offseason aside from signing Josh Bell, Minnesota did a ton of wheeling and dealing to put together a squad better equipped to win the division in 2023.
After a long saga involving the Giants, the Mets and a lot of "medical history" discourse, Minnesota ended up re-signing Carlos Correa to a long-term deal. It also landed Christian Vázquez, Joey Gallo and Donovan Solano in free agency, and traded for Pablo López, Michael A. Taylor and Kyle Farmer.
And all seven of those guys have already paid dividends for the first-place Twins.
López is looking like a solid early candidate for the AL Cy Young. Both Vázquez and Solano are hitting over .300. Taylor and Gallo are tied for the team lead in home runs with three apiece. (Even though Gallo has only played in seven games.) Correa is heating up after a slow start and a minor back injury. And Farmer was playing a key role in the middle infield prior to taking a Lucas Giolito fastball to the jaw. (No timetable on a return to action there, but get well soon, Kyle.)
Factor in Kenta Maeda returning to the starting rotation after missing all of 2022, a bullpen doing a stellar job and Byron Buxton (knock on wood) avoiding any significant injuries thus far, and the Twins have emerged as the best team in the AL Central.
Should only get better once Jorge Polanco (currently on a rehab assignment for a knee injury) is able to make his 2023 debut, too.
Projected AL Central Standings
1. Minnesota Twins (90-72)
2. Cleveland Guardians (88-74)
3. Chicago White Sox (76-86)
4. Detroit Tigers (62-100)
5. Kansas City Royals (60-102)
American League West
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Texas' Jacob deGromJay Biggerstaff/Getty Images
Biggest change since early November: Texas revamped its starting rotation and is thriving in spite of that rotation's early struggles
The Rangers went all-in on starting pitching this offseason, putting together a six-man rotation making more than $100 million this year alone.
They signed Jacob deGrom to a five-year, $185 million deal. They also signed Nathan Eovaldi and Andrew Heaney to less-lucrative-but-still-eight-figure salaries. They brought back Martín Pérez with the one-year, $19.65 million qualifying offer. They also traded for Jake Odorizzi and already had Jon Gray signed through 2025.
Thus far, however, the new pitchers haven't amounted to much.
DeGrom has been a substantial improvement upon what Texas got from most of its rotation in 2022, but his 3.48 ERA is almost a full run higher than the 2.52 mark he posted over the previous nine seasons with the Mets. Plus, he has already had multiple injury scares, including leaving his most recent start with a sore wrist.
Heaney has a 4.97 ERA. Eovaldi is sitting at 5.40. And Odorizzi is going to miss the entire season after undergoing surgery on his shoulder in early April.
Not exactly what Texas had in mind when putting these pieces together.
Nevertheless, the Rangers are alone in first place in the AL West while both Houston and Seattle work through some early struggles.
With both Corey Seager (hamstring) and Mitch Garver (knee) expected to be on the IL for about a month, maintaining that lead in the division will be a considerable challenge once Houston snaps out of its early funk. But Texas legitimately might finish ahead of Seattle and edge out the AL Central's first runner-up for a wild-card spot.
Projected AL West Standings
1. Houston Astros (92-70)
2. Texas Rangers (89-73) (wild card)
3. Seattle Mariners (85-77)
4. Los Angeles Angels (77-85)
5. Oakland A's (47-115)
National League East
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Philadelphia's Aaron NolaAP Photo/Matt Rourke
Biggest change since early November: The Phillies can't pitch
Fresh off reaching the World Series, the Phillies made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason with their acquisition of Trea Turner. They also signed Taijuan Walker, Matt Strahm and Craig Kimbrel in hopes of beefing up the pitching staff, traded for two-time All-Star Gregory Soto and took flyers on Josh Harrison and Cristian Pache to add some depth to the lineup.
They've also gotten unexpectedly great contributions out of Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh and Edmundo Sosa, each of whom is batting well north of .300 while playing pretty much every day.
The net result is a team that is...*checks notes*...7-11 overall and already 7.0 games back in the NL East?
This despite getting to play seven of its first 16 games against the Cincinnati Reds?
What the heck is going on here?
Simply put, the pitching staff has drastically under-delivered.
Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler had been two of the most reliable pitchers in baseball over the previous half-decade. However, those co-aces have struggled out of the gate, especially Nola, who has a 5.91 ERA through four starts. Meanwhile, Walker is unfortunately living up to his name by walking guys left and right. And the bullpen has been a catastrophe with a collective 6.30 ERA.
Maybe the Phillies repeat last year's script and figure things out after a rocky start. If Nola and Wheeler turn a corner just in time for Ranger Suárez and Bryce Harper to return from the IL, that sounds like the recipe for a big postseason push.
But what if Nola is headed for a repeat of his 4.63 ERA in 2021? And Harper doesn't make it back until after Memorial Day? While Stott, Marsh and Sosa all cool off considerably, putting even more pressure on the pitching staff?
That'd be a recipe for disaster.
Projected NL East Standings
1. Atlanta Braves (98-64)
2. New York Mets (93-69) (wild card)
3. Philadelphia Phillies (86-76)
4. Miami Marlins (71-91)
5. Washington Nationals (55-107)
National League Central
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St. Louis' Paul GoldschmidtRick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Biggest change since early November: St. Louis might not be very good
Throughout the offseason, the NL Central felt destined for a repeat of 2022: a two-horse race between Milwaukee and St. Louis.
But while the Brewers have more than held up their end of the bargain with one of the best records in the majors, the Cardinals have sputtered down into the basement of the division—this despite 2022 NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt and second runner-up Nolan Arenado each getting out to solid starts, and rookie Jordan Walker having that historic 12-game hitting streak to open his MLB career.
Much like the Phillies, though, pitching has been a colossal struggle in the early going for St. Louis.
Miles Mikolas was the ace of last year's staff, but he has been shelled in three of his four starts to the tune of an 8.10 ERA and a 2.05 WHIP. And here's the worse news: As far as FIP is concerned, Mikolas entered play on Wednesday as St. Louis' second-best starter, as Steven Matz (6.48 ERA, 1.80 WHIP) and Jake Woodford (5.65 ERA, 1.74 WHIP) have not pitched well at all, and Jack Flaherty's 2.95 ERA is a whole lot of smoke and mirrors with 17 walks through 21.1 innings pitched.
Hopefully Adam Wainwright (groin) will be able to make his season debut before the end of April, but banking on a 41-year-old starting pitcher was a scary proposition long before he landed on the IL.
St. Louis went 45-25 over its final 70 games of last season, but 46 of those games were against the Cubs, Pirates, Reds, Rockies and Nationals, and Albert Pujols had a 1.092 OPS during that stretch. Without the benefit of both that schedule and that soon-to-be Hall of Famer's unexpected resurgence, perhaps the Cardinals are just a .500-ish team.
Projected NL Central Standings
1. Milwaukee Brewers (93-69)
2. St. Louis Cardinals (85-77)
3. Chicago Cubs (81-81)
4. Pittsburgh Pirates (72-90)
5. Cincinnati Reds (65-97)
National League West
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Arizona's Evan LongoriaBrian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Biggest change since early November: Arizona is even better than we thought it could be
Admittedly, most of our way-too-early projections from right after the World Series weren't all that bold. Only three teams (Arizona, Houston and Texas) were penciled in for at least 11 more/fewer wins than they recorded in 2022.
Arizona improving from a middling 74-win squad to an 86-win postseason flirter was one of the most intrepid forecasts. However, it appears even that wasn't bold enough, as the Diamondbacks have been one of the most impressive teams in the early going.
What's most astounding about Arizona's position atop the NL West is that several pivotal players have drastically underachieved.
Christian Walker, Alek Thomas and Jake McCarthy all entered play on Wednesday hitting .203 or worse. Gabriel Moreno finally hit his first home run Tuesday night. He and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. have been just OK since arriving via the Daulton Varsho trade. And Madison Bumgarner has been a disaster, making a spirited push toward the top (or bottom?) of the "worst active contracts" leaderboard.
Nevertheless, the Snakes are four games above .500 while the rest of the division sits at .500 or worse. And they've already played eight of their 13 regular-season games against the Dodgers, winning five of them.
Now, would we actually recommend betting anything you can't afford to lose on Arizona winning the NL West? Absolutely not. The DraftKings odds (+1100) are still relatively slim, with Fernando Tatis Jr. about to make his return to San Diego and with Los Angeles boasting one of the most potent offenses.
But Arizona at +300 to make the postseason?
That might not be a bad idea.
Projected NL West Standings
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (96-66)
2. San Diego Padres (92-70) (wild card)
3. Arizona Diamondbacks (90-72) (wild card)
4. San Francisco Giants (81-81)
5. Colorado Rockies (64-98)
Projecting the Postseason
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Atlanta's Ronald Acuna Jr.Kyle Rivas/Getty Images
Wild Card Series
NL1: No. 6 Arizona Diamondbacks over No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers
NL2: No. 4 New York Mets over No. 5 San Diego Padres
AL1: No. 6 Texas Rangers over No. 3 Minnesota Twins
AL2: No. 4 New York Yankees over No. 5 Toronto Blue Jays
Division Series
NL1: No. 1 Atlanta Braves over No. 4 New York Mets
NL2: No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers over No. 6 Arizona Diamondbacks
AL1: No. 4 New York Yankees over No. 1 Tampa Bay Rays
AL2: No. 2 Houston Astros over No. 6 Texas Rangers
Championship Series
NL: No. 1 Atlanta Braves over No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers
AL: No. 4 New York Yankees over No. 2 Houston Astros
World Series
Atlanta Braves over New York Yankees
Got to keep it short and sweet in justifying picks that will likely be different five months from now, if not five weeks from now. That said, Atlanta looks special with Ronald Acuña Jr. back to playing at an MVP level and Spencer Strider striking out opponents at an outrageous clip. And while Tampa Bay is the pick to win the AL East, New York will be all sorts of difficult to beat in October with a theoretically healthy rotation of Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Nestor Cortes and Luis Severino.
FAQs
How will the MLB playoffs work in 2023? ›
The winners of the Division Series will advance to the League Championship Series, which will be a best-of-seven series in a 2-3-2 format. The winners of the League Championship Series in each league will advance to the World Series, which will also be a best-of-seven series in a 2-3-2 format.
Who is predicted to win the World Series 2023? ›MLB World Series Odds for 2023
Houston Astros: +600. Los Angeles Dodgers: +700. New York Mets: +700. New York Yankees: +800.
"The @Cubs could be the most improved team in 2023." The Cubs finished 2022 with a 74-88 record and are hoping to contend in 2023. Jed Hoyer went out and spent on the free agent market to bolster their roster. Aside from adding Swanson, Hoyer brought in former MVP center fielder Cody Bellinger.
What will MLB schedule 2023 look like? ›The new balanced schedule includes 13 games against their division rivals, totaling 52 games. Each team will play six games against six opponents and seven games against four opponents in the same league for a total of 64 games.
What MLB teams will make the playoffs 2023? ›- Tampa Bay Rays.
- Cleveland Guardians.
- St. Louis Cardinals.
- Toronto Blue Jays.
- Seattle Mariners.
Houston is currently the narrow favorite to repeat as champions, coming in at +600 odds to win the 2023 World Series, according to our partner, PointsBet. They are followed by the New York Yankees (+650), Los Angeles Dodgers (+750), New York Mets (+750), Atlanta Braves (+1000) and San Diego Padres (+1000).
Who is favored to win the Super Bowl 2023? ›Super Bowl 2023 odds: Eagles favored over Chiefs.
Will the Astros win the World Series in 2023? ›The Astros have the best odds of any team in the league (+600) to win the World Series in 2023, despite the fact that no team has won back-to-back pennants since the New York Yankees in 1999-2000.
Who is the hottest MLB team right now? ›Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are the hottest team in MLB right now, winning five consecutive games and posting an 8-2 record over the last 10 contests. It's the young talent leading the charge with Adley Rutschman (. 934 OPS), Austin Hays (.
Who is the #1 MLB draft prospect 2023? ›
1. Dylan Crews, OF, LSU. Crews is the definitive draft prospect of the Pandemic Era. Had the world not closed down in March 2020, shuttering his high school senior season in the process, he would have had time to recover from a slow start to the year.
Who is most likely to win MLB? ›- Braves: 95.5.
- Astros: 95.
- Dodgers: 94.5.
- Padres: 94.
- Yankees: 94.
- Mets: 92.5.
- Blue Jays: 92.
- Cardinals: 89.
Shift restrictions in 2023
The bases, which traditionally have been 15 inches square, will instead be 18 inches square. Home plate is unchanged. Though this can have a modest impact on stolen-base success rate, the primary goal of this change is to give players more room to operate and to avoid collisions.
- March 30: Opening Day.
- April 15: Jackie Robinson Day.
- April 29–30: Mexico City Series – San Francisco Giants @ San Diego Padres at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú, Mexico City, Mexico.
- June 2: Lou Gehrig Day.
The new rule: Pitchers will have 15 seconds to throw a pitch with the bases empty and 20 seconds with a runner on base. Hitters will need to be in the batter's box with eight seconds on the pitch clock.
How long until pitchers and catchers report 2023? ›Pitchers and catchers committed to the exhibition series must report on Monday, Feb. 13. Position players playing in the WBC must report on Thursday, Feb. 16.
Will every MLB team play each other in 2023? ›GAMES VS. OTHER 10 LEAGUE OPPONENTS (64): Each club will now play every other team in its league in one series at home and one on the road, for a total of either six or seven games per opponent. Not much has changed there. Those 64 total games are only two fewer than the old total, of 66.
Are there 3 wild card teams in MLB this year? ›The top two seeds of the American and National leagues receive first-round byes into the Division Series, and the worst-division winner is the third seed in their respective league. The three Wild Card teams are the fourth, fifth and sixth seeds.
Who is Vegas favorite to win the World Series? ›Those MLB betting markets have the Atlanta Braves as the favorites at +500. Teams like the Houston Astros +650, Tampa Bay Rays +800, LA Dodgers +850 and New York Yankees +950 are also near the top of boards. Check out odds to win the World Series in 2023 for every team in MLB below.
What chance do the Astros have of winning the World Series? ›
2023 World Series odds: Houston Astros: +600. Atlanta Braves: +700. New York Yankees: +750.
What's the odds of the Braves win the World Series? ›Team | Odds |
---|---|
Braves | +550 |
Yankees | +750 |
Mets | +800 |
Dodgers | +850 |
Prediction: Who will win Super Bowl 58? The Kansas City Chiefs (+550) are the favorite to win Super Bowl LVIII based on betting markets, followed by the Cincinnati Bengals at +800, Buffalo Bills at +900, 49ers at +900 and Philadelphia Eagles at +1000.
What are the Bengals chances for the 2023 Super Bowl? ›Bengals Super Bowl 58 Odds: April 25, 2023
Sitting only behind the reigning champs, the Bengals Super Bowl odds are +900 at BetMGM, which is tied for the third-best odds in the league. The Bengals are also favored to win the AFC North and in the top-2 favorites to win the conference.
Team | Current Super Bowl Odds | 2024 Opening Odds |
---|---|---|
New England Patriots | +7500 | +6000 |
Washington Commanders | +8000 | +7000 |
Atlanta Falcons | +7500 | +7500 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | +10000 | +6000 |
As the flagship teams of the two largest cities in the US and two of the largest media markets globally, the spotlight shines brightest on the Yankees and Dodgers. According to Wynn Bet New York, the Yankees have won 27 World Series and have the second-best odds of winning the championship in 2023 at +750.
What are the longshots to win the World Series 2023? ›With all that considered, it should be no surprise that the Tigers are among the biggest longshots to win the World Series in 2023, according to MLB oddsmakers. Detroit ranges from odds of +10000 to +25000 to win.
How many Astros home games in 2023? ›the Chicago White Sox, marking the first time Houston will begin a season vs. the ChiSox. With the new schedule format, the Astros will host 22 different teams at Minute Maid Park in 2023, which includes eight National League clubs and all 14 other American League clubs.
What is the most unpopular MLB team? ›These teams usually have a long history of success, and their fans can be seen as arrogant and obnoxious. The New York Yankees are probably the most hated team in MLB, followed by the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
What MLB team has the strongest fan base? ›1. New York Yankees. The New York Yankees are the most popular MLB team, and one of the most popular sporting teams in the world.
What is the hottest MLB game ever? ›
The two hottest games in league history took place in the Lone Star State. The Texas Rangers were the home team in the only two MLB contests to be played in 109-degree heat. The first game was against the Minnesota Twins on June 27, 1980, at Arlington Stadium.
Is 2023 MLB draft strong? ›It's an incredible draft class, the best probably since 2011, loaded with college position players and a nice batch of college arms, along with three high school position players who would have been in the mix to go first overall in 2022 (and one of them could still do that this year).
How good is Dylan Crews? ›964 in 33 games. He leads all Division I players in slugging, on-base-plus-slugging percentage (1.582), weighted on-base average (. 653) and weighted runs created plus (238). Crews has shown all season that he's a top pick in waiting.
Who is the MLB luckiest man in the world? ›It was on July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day, when the longtime Yankee first baseman uttered the famous words at a home plate ceremony at Yankee Stadium: “For the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”
What percentage of underdogs win MLB? ›MLB underdog betting systems are based on the fact that, statistically, underdogs win four out of every nine MLB games (around 44%).
Who has the worst winning percentage in MLB? ›The New York Yankees have the highest regular season winning percentage, with . 570. The Miami Marlins have the lowest, with . 461.
How many times can a pitcher throw to first base in 2023? ›Pitchers will also no longer be allowed to throw to first base or step off of the pitcher's mound as many times as they want. Instead they will be allowed two disengagements per plate appearance.
Why is MLB proposing bigger bases? ›Why did MLB increase base sizes? MLB is increasing base sizes in order to promote player safety and make bang-bang plays less dangerous for defenders and runners. There is slightly less distance between bases now, so there may be more stolen bases, but that would not necessarily be a "feature" of the new sizes.
What happens if pitcher takes too long? ›Each time the pitcher delays the game by violating this rule, the umpire shall call "Ball." The 12-second timing starts when the pitcher is in possession of the ball and the batter is in the box, alert to the pitcher. The timing stops when the pitcher releases the ball.
Who are the favorites in 2023 MLB? ›TEAM | OPENING ODDS | CURRENT ODDS |
---|---|---|
Astros | +700 | +700 |
Dodgers | +500 | +800 |
Rays | +2200 | +900 |
Yankees | +900 | +900 |
What is the MLB rookie salary for 2023? ›
Each unsigned player on an MLB 40-man roster who is tendered a contract must be offered at least the MLB minimum salary ($700,000 in 2022, $720,000 in 2023, $740,000 in 2024, $760,000 in 2025, and $780,000 in 2026) and (with a couple of exceptions) at least 80% of the player's previous season's salary, and at least 70% ...
Who has the lowest payroll in Major League Baseball for 2023? ›The average total payroll across MLB in 2023 is $147,827,561. The New York Mets have the highest payroll at $334,233,332. The lowest payroll belongs to the Oakland Athletics at $42,425,000.
Who is the greatest hitter that ever lived? ›During his remarkable career with the Boston Red Sox, Ted Williams earned many nicknames: The Kid, The Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame... but the only nickname that he ever wanted was "the greatest hitter who ever lived." And maybe he really was?
Who batted over 400 in a season? ›Hitting . 400 for a season is quite the feat. In fact, no qualified hitter has done it since Ted Williams hit . 406 in 1941.
Who has the lowest batting average in the Hall of Fame? ›260 and an OPS+ of at least 100 (league average) were required. Only three hitters have made it to the Hall of Fame with a sub-. 260 batting average: Killebrew, Rabbit Maranville and Ray Schalk.
When MLB playoffs start 2023? ›The 2023 MLB Playoffs will begin around October 3. Playoff games air across ABC, FOX, FS1, TBS, ESPN, ESPN2, and MLB Network, with every World Series game taking place on FOX. Last year, the MLB postseason expanded from 10 teams to 12.
What is the format for the MLB wildcard series? ›Format. Under the format adopted in 2022, six teams in each league are assigned seeds for the postseason. In each league, the three division winners are the top three seeds and are always assigned seeds #1–3, per their relative winning percentages. The worst division winner is automatically the No.
Who is favored to win the World Series? ›New York Yankees: +650. Los Angeles Dodgers: +750. New York Mets: +750.
Who made the 2023 playoffs? ›The Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves entered the postseason for the second consecutive season. The New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Los Angeles Lakers entered the postseason for the first time since 2021.
Where are the playoff games in 2023? ›- Date: Sunday, February 12th.
- Teams: Kansas City Chiefs vs Philadelphia Eagles.
- Time: 6:30pm ET.
- TV Network: Fox.
- Where: State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Are baseball bases getting bigger? ›
MLB increased the base size to 18 inches square from the previous size of 15 inches square this offseason, giving bases more coverage on the dirt. This change is being made as more of an installation of safety than to affect gameplay.
How will MLB wildcard playoffs work? ›In the new Wild Card Series, the top two division winners in each league receive a bye to the Division Series, while the lowest-seeded division winner and three wild card teams will play in this round. A best-of-three series will take place, with the higher seed hosting all three games.
How does the new MLB playoff work? ›Playoff seeds
Major League Baseball tie-breaking procedures were revised this season to use head-to-head records to break any ties at the end of the regular season without playing tiebreaker games. Under the new format, the top two seeds in each league earned a first-round bye into the LDS.
Under this format, a second wild card team has been added to each league, i.e., the team with the second-highest win total in each league among non-division winners. The two wild card teams play in a one-game playoff after the end of the regular season, with the winner advancing to the best-of-five Division Series.
What day do pitchers and catchers report 2023? ›Pitchers and catchers committed to the exhibition series must report on Monday, Feb. 13. Position players playing in the WBC must report on Thursday, Feb. 16.
Are 2023 MLB tickets available? ›Tickets for the 2023 MLB season are now available at Ticketmaster.
Where is 2023 MLB World Series? ›When is the MLB Mexico Series 2023? The San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres will be heading to Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City for a two-game series from Saturday, April 29, to Sunday, April 30.