 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 3 – November 1, 2023 |
| Teams | 12 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Texas Rangers (1st title) |
| Runner-up | Arizona Diamondbacks (2nd World Series appearance) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| MVP | Corey Seager (TEX) |
The 2023 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball (MLB) for the 2023 season. The winners of the Wild Card Series faced the two best division winners (seeds) in each league in the Division Series, and the victors advanced to the League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners who played each other in the World Series.[1][2]
In the American League, the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers returned to the postseason for the first time since 2016. The Houston Astros made their seventh straight postseason appearance and the eighth in the past nine seasons, marking the first time since 2015 that both Texas teams made the postseason. The Minnesota Twins made their fourth postseason appearance in the past seven seasons. The Toronto Blue Jays returned to the postseason for the third time in the past four seasons, and the Tampa Bay Rays returned for the fifth consecutive season.
In the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched their eleventh straight postseason berth, which is currently the longest active streak in the majors and in professional sports. The Atlanta Braves clinched the best record in the majors and made their sixth straight postseason appearance. The Milwaukee Brewers returned to the postseason for the fifth time in the past six seasons. The Miami Marlins returned to the postseason for the second time in the past four seasons. The Philadelphia Phillies made their second straight postseason appearance, and the Arizona Diamondbacks returned for the first time since 2017.
The only division winner to advance to the League Championship Series were the Houston Astros (AL West), following the defeat of the Milwaukee Brewers (NL Central) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in a sweep, in the Wild Card Series, then the defeats of the Minnesota Twins (AL Central) by the Houston Astros in four games, Baltimore Orioles (AL East) by the Texas Rangers in a sweep, Los Angeles Dodgers (NL West) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in a sweep, and the Atlanta Braves (NL East) by the Philadelphia Phillies in four games, in the Division Series. This also means it was the first time in Major League Baseball postseason history that the last four remaining teams in the League Championship Series had 90 or fewer regular season wins.[3]
The postseason began on October 3 and ended on November 1, with the Rangers defeating the Diamondbacks in the 2023 World Series to clinch their first title in franchise history. The total postseason attendance was 1,775,625 across 41 games, averaging 43,308 per game.
All five of the teams with artificial turf in the major leagues reached the postseason, Miami, Arizona, Toronto, Tampa Bay, and Texas.
- ^ "MLB announces 2023 Postseason schedule". MLB.com. August 8, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ Gardner, Steve (August 8, 2023). "MLB unveils 2023 postseason schedule, World Series begins Oct. 27". USA Today. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ The Athletic MLB [@TheAthleticMLB] (October 12, 2023). "For the first time in MLB postseason history, the last four remaining teams in the League Championship Series have 90 or fewer regular season wins. *does not include shortened seasons" (Tweet). Retrieved October 12, 2023 – via Twitter.