2023 Postseason

Recap

The 2023 Postseason was played under the format first used in 2022, with the two division title winners with the best records in each league getting a bye into the Division Series, while the third-ranked division winner and three wild card teams played a best-of-three Wild Card Series, with all games taking pace in the home ballpark of the higher-ranked team.

Three of the four teams receiving a bye were eliminated at the Division Series stage, prompting questions whether the week of rest was more detrimental than useful. This was especially evident given that all three had won over 100 games during the regular season. That followed a Wild Card Series round that was a bit of a dud since all four series ended up as two-game sweeps, with most of the games not particularly close either. The two League Championship Series were both classics, however, reaching the limit of seven games, and resulting in an unprecedented (and very unexpected) World Series match-up between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers.

Series Summaries

American League

ALWC: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Minnesota Twins

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Toronto Blue Jays 1 Minnesota Twins 3	October 3	Kevin Gausman (0-1) Pablo López (1-0)	4:38 pm
2	Toronto Blue Jays 0 Minnesota Twins 2	October 4	José Berrios (0-1) Sonny Gray (1-0)	4:38 pm

ALWC: Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Texas Rangers 4 Tampa Bay Rays 0	October 3	Jordan Montgomery (1-0) Tyler Glasnow (0-1)	3:08 pm
2	Texas Rangers 7 Tampa Bay Rays 1	October 4	Nathan Eovaldi (1-0) Zach Eflin (0-1)	3:08 pm

ALDS: Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Texas Rangers 3 Baltimore Orioles 2	October 7	Andrew Heaney (0-0) Kyle Bradish (0-1)	1:03 pm
2	Texas Rangers 11 Baltimore Orioles 8	October 8	Jordan Montgomery (0-0) Grayson Rodriguez (0-1)	4:07 pm
3	Baltimore Orioles 1 Texas Rangers 7	October 10	Dean Kremer (0-1) Nathan Eovaldi (1-0)	8:07 pm

ALDS: Minnesota Twins vs. Houston Astros

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Minnesota Twins 4 Houston Astros 6	October 7	Bailey Ober (0-1) Justin Verlander (1-0)	4:45 pm
2	Minnesota Twins 6 Houston Astros 2	October 8	Pablo López (1-0) Framber Valdez (0-1)	8:03 pm
3	Houston Astros 9 Minnesota Twins 1	October 10	Cristian Javier (1-0) Sonny Gray (0-1)	4:03 pm
4	Houston Astros 3 Minnesota Twins 2	October 11	Jose Urquidy (1-0) Joe Ryan (0-0)	7:08 pm

ALCS: Texas Rangers vs. Houston Astros

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Texas Rangers 2 Houston Astros 0	October 15	Jordan Montgomery (1-0) Justin Verlander (0-1)	8:15 pm
2	Texas Rangers 5 Houston Astros 4	October 16	Nathan Eovaldi (1-0) Framber Valdez (0-1)	4:30 pm
3	Houston Astros 8 Texas Rangers 5	October 18	Cristian Javier (1-0) Max Scherzer (0-1)	8:05 pm
4	Houston Astros 10 Texas Rangers 3	October 19	Jose Urquidy (0-0) Andrew Heaney (0-0)	8:05 pm
5	Houston Astros 5 Texas Rangers 4	October 20	Justin Verlander (0-1) Jordan Montgomery (1-0)	5:07 pm
6	Texas Rangers 9 Houston Astros 2	October 22	Nathan Eovaldi (2-0) Framber Valdez (0-2)	8:03 pm
7	Texas Rangers 11 Houston Astros 4	October 23	Max Scherzer (0-1) Cristian Javier (1-1)	8:03 pm

National League

NLWC: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Milwaukee Brewers

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Arizona Diamondbacks 6 Milwaukee Brewers 3	October 3	Brandon Pfaadt (0-0) Corbin Burnes (0-1)	7:08 pm
2	Arizona Diamondbacks 5 Milwaukee Brewers 2	October 4	Zac Gallen (1-0) Freddy Peralta (0-1)	7:08 pm

NLWC: Miami Marlins vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Miami Marlins 1 Philadelphia Phillies 4	October 3	Jesus Luzardo (0-1) Zack Wheeler (1-0)	8:08 pm
2	Miami Marlins 1 Philadelphia Phillies 7	October 4	Braxton Garrett (0-1) Aaron Nola (1-0)	8:08 pm

NLDS: Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Philadelphia Phillies 3 Atlanta Braves 0	October 7	Ranger Suarez (0-0) Spencer Strider (0-1)	6:07 pm
2	Philadelphia Phillies 4 Atlanta Braves 5	October 9	Zack Wheeler (0-0) Max Fried (0-0)	6:07 pm
3	Atlanta Braves 2 Philadelphia Phillies 10	October 11	Bryce Elder (0-1) Aaron Nola (1-0)	5:07 pm
4	Atlanta Braves 1 Philadelphia Phillies 3	October 12	Spencer Strider (0-2) Ranger Suarez (1-0)	8:03 pm

NLDS: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Arizona Diamondbacks 11 Los Angeles Dodgers 2	October 7	Merrill Kelly (1-0) Clayton Kershaw (0-1)	9:20 pm
2	Arizona Diamondbacks 4 Los Angeles Dodgers 2	October 9	Zac Gallen (1-0) Bobby Miller (0-1)	9:07 pm
3	Los Angeles Dodgers 2 Arizona Diamondbacks 4	October 11	Lance Lynn (0-1) Brandon Pfaadt (0-0)	9:07 pm

NLCS: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Arizona Diamondbacks 3 Philadelphia Phillies 5	October 16	Zac Gallen (0-1) Zack Wheeler (1-0)	8:05 pm
2	Arizona Diamondbacks 0 Philadelphia Phillies 10	October 17	Merrill Kelly (0-1) Aaron Nola (1-0)	8:05 pm
3	Philadelphia Phillies 1 Arizona Diamondbacks 2	October 19	Ranger Suarez (0-0) Brandon Pfaadt (0-0)	5:05 pm
4	Philadelphia Phillies 5 Arizona Diamondbacks 6	October 20	Cristopher Sanchez (0-0) Joe Mantiply (0-0)	8:07 pm
5	Philadelphia Phillies 6 Arizona Diamondbacks 1	October 21	Zack Wheeler (2-0) Zac Gallen (0-2)	8:07 pm
6	Arizona Diamondbacks 5 Philadelphia Phillies 1	October 23	Merrill Kelly (1-1) Aaron Nola (1-1)	5:07 pm
7	Arizona Diamondbacks 4 Philadelphia Phillies 2	October 24	Brandon Pfaadt (0-0) Ranger Suarez (0-1)	8:03 pm

World Series: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Texas Rangers

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Arizona Diamondbacks 5 Texas Rangers 6	October 27	Zac Gallen (0-0) Nathan Eovaldi (0-0)	8:03 pm
2	Arizona Diamondbacks 9 Texas Rangers 1	October 28	Merrill Kelly (1-0) Jordan Montgomery (0-1)	8:03 pm
3	Texas Rangers 3 Arizona Diamondbacks 1	October 30	Max Scherzer (0-0) Brandon Pfaadt (0-1)	8:03 pm
4	Texas Rangers 11 Arizona Diamondbacks 7	October 31	Andrew Heaney (1-0) Joe Mantiply (0-1)	8:03 pm
5	Texas Rangers 5 Arizona Diamondbacks 0	November 1	Nathan Eovaldi (1-0) Zac Gallen (0-1)	8:03 pm

NL Team Stats

TEAM	W-L	Manager	BA	HR	R	ERA	WHIP	RA
Braves	104-58	Brian Snitker	.276	307	947	4.14	1.302	716
Dodgers	100-62	Dave Roberts	.257	249	906	4.06	1.202	699
Brewers	92-70	Craig Counsell	.240	165	728	3.71	1.186	647
Phillies	90-72	Rob Thomson	.256	220	796	4.02	1.239	715
Marlins	84-78	Skip Schumaker	.259	166	666	4.22	1.292	723
Diamondbacks	84-78	Torey Lovullo	.250	166	746	4.47	1.324	761

AL Team Stats

TEAM	W-L	Manager	BA	HR	R	ERA	WHIP	RA
Orioles	101-61	Brandon Hyde	.255	183	807	3.89	1.243	678
Astros	90-72	Dusty Baker	.259	222	827	3.94	1.279	698
Twins	87-75	Rocco Baldelli	.243	233	778	3.87	1.197	659
Rays	99-63	Kevin Cash	.260	230	860	3.86	1.178	665
Rangers	90-72	Bruce Bochy	.263	233	845	4.28	1.268	716
Blue Jays	89-73	John Schneider	.256	188	746	3.78	1.250	671

Further Reading

• Anthony Castrovince: "4 takeaways from 4 Wild Card sweeps", mlb.com, October 5, 2023. [1]
• Will Leitch: "Correa vs. Astros? Phils-Braves rematch? That's just the start", mlb.com, October 5, 2023. [2]

Related Sites

• Postseason schedule

<< 2022 2023 Postseason 2024 >> NL Wild Card Series Diamondbacks (WC3) over Brewers (NLC) (2-0) NL Wild Card Series Phillies (WC1) over Marlins (WC2) (2-0) NL Division Series Phillies (WC) over Braves (NLE) (3-1) NL Division Series Diamondbacks (WC) over Dodgers (NLW) (3-0) NL Championship Series Diamondbacks (WC) over Phillies (WC) (4-3) World Series Rangers (AL) over Diamondbacks (NL) (4-1) AL Championship Series Rangers (WC) over Astros (ALW) (4-3) AL Division Series Rangers (WC) over Orioles (ALE) (3-0) AL Division Series Astros (ALW) over Twins (ALC) (3-1) AL Wild Card Series Twins (ALC) over Blue Jays (WC3) (2-0) AL Wild Card Series Rangers (WC2) over Rays (WC1) (2-0)