Unveiling the 2023 MLB Playoff Schedule: Key Dates and Expectations

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As the 2023 regular season draws to a close, baseball fans can now look forward to the highly anticipated playoffs – and with it, plenty of opportunities for excitement and anticipation. With so many great teams posed to make a run at the World Series, this year has the potential to rise above the rest. To ensure you don’t miss out on any part of the action, we’ve put together everything you need to know about next year’s MLB playoff schedule – key dates, expectations, predictions – all in one place!

When Do The MLB Playoffs Start?

The thrill of the MLB playoffs kicks off with the Wild Card Series, beginning Oct. 3 and running until Oct. 5. This initial stage will feature the third through six seeds in both the American and National Leagues facing off in a best-of-three series.

Division and League Championship Series

After the intense Wild Card rounds, the best-of-five Division Series (DS) will immediately kick off, likely beginning Oct. 6. The series winners here will then advance to the best-of-seven League Championship Series.

World Series

The grand finale of this year’s MLB playoffs is the World Series. It all comes down to one final show of strength and skill between the American League and the National League champion. The World Series is a best-of-seven showdown beginning Oct. 27 and running potentially as far out as Nov. 4.

Where to Watch the MLB Playoffs?

Multiple networks will broadcast the 2023 MLB Playoffs. ESPN, MLB Network, FOX, FS1, and TBS will air the early-round playoff games, ensuring you won’t miss a single pitch, hit, or home run. The League Championship Series shifts solely to Fox/FS1 and TBS, followed by the World Series, airing exclusively on Fox. 

How Do The MLB Playoffs Work in 2023?

As we approach the 2023 MLB playoffs, understanding the structure and format of the series becomes crucial for fans and bettors alike. The playoffs are a series of elimination rounds leading up to the World Series.

The competition begins with the Wild Card Series, a best-of-three series. The top two seeds from each league earn a bye, while the divisional winner with the worst record is the No. 3 seed in the Wild Card round; the No. 3 seed hosts No. 6, and No. 4 hosts No. 5. The No. 3 and No. 4 have full home-field advantage, hosting potentially all three playoff games.

The winners of these games advance to the Division Series, a best-of-five series structured in a 2-2-1 format, which means the team with home-field advantage hosts games 1, 2, and 5, while the other team hosts games 3 and 4.

The victors of the Division Series make their way to the League Championship Series, a best-of-seven series in a 2-3-2 format. The winners of the League Championship Series in each league, one from the American League and one from the National League, earn their place in the World Series, which includes the same series format as the LCS.

Final Playoff Races

The postseason participants are far from settled, and the MLB World Series betting odds are constantly changing. With the exception of the NL East, each division race is very hotly contested, with no more than two games separating first and second place. 

The Wild Card berths are also up in the air, with several teams battling it out for two spots in each league. Can the Yankees rally to make the postseason? Will the Rangers hold off the Astros? These are just a couple of the questions yet to be determined before the start of the 2023 MLB Playoffs.