By Alfredo Echenique
03 Oct 2023, 09:31 AM EDT
Last Sunday all 30 Major League teams completed their 162 regular season games. Thus starting this Tuesday the playoffs, and the road to the World Series.
This regular season there were some surprises in each Division and more than one disappointment as well. Others who achieved their classification at the last minute and others who already had it for a couple of weeks.
Classified by American League Division
Eastern Division
Despite the fact that the New York Yankees had one of the highest payrolls in the Major Leagues and had qualified for the postseason for six consecutive seasons. This year they were unlucky and finished in fourth place with a record of 82-80.
The Baltimore Orioles won the East pennant, reaching 101 victories, while the Tampa Bay Rays also entered the wild card classification.
Central Division
In the Center, the Minnesota Twins gained a wide lead of 9 games over the Detroit Tigers and registered their name in the postseason. Although with the worst record of the three Division champions, they will have to play a previous qualifying round.
Western Division
The most fought Division, as both the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers finished with the same record (90-72). However, the West pennant went to the Astros for taking advantage in direct confrontations. While Rangers will go to the wild card.
Classified by National League Division
Eastern Division
Nothing to say in the East of the National. The best team in the entire Major Leagues was the Atlanta Braves. 104 wins and a 14-game lead over the second place them comfortably in the playoffs. The Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins also entered this Division into the playoffs via the wild card.
Central Division
The Milwaukee Brewers gave the surprise in this Division and with a record of 92-70 they settled in October with a big advantage over the Chicago Cubs, who could not access the postseason this year.
Western Division
If there is a hegemony in the Major Leagues, it is that of the Los Angeles Dodgers with the West Division of the National League. The Californian team has won its division pennant in 9 of the last 10 seasons. This year was not the exeption. The October party will be accompanied by the Arizona D-Backs, who will enter via the wild card.
This is how the MLB playoffs bracket looked like
The wild card matchups will be best-of-three series. The division series will be a best of five games, while the championship series and World Series will be played in a best of seven games.
Where to watch MLB playoff games?
In the US you can watch the Major League playoffs on Fox Sports (Fox and FS1). TBS has the rights to the National League Division Series and the National League Championship Series. ESPN (ESPN and ABC/ESPN2) will have the wild card series.
Complete calendar
Wild Card Series
Tuesday October 3
- Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays | Game 1 | 15:08. ET | ABC
- Toronto Blue Jays at Minnesota Twins | Game 1 | 16:38 ET | ESPN
- Arizona Diamondbacks at Milwaukee Brewers | Game 1 | 19:08 ET | ESPN2
- Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies | Game 1 | 20:08 ET | ESPN
Wednesday October 4
- Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays | Game 2 | 15:08 ET | ABC
- Toronto Blue Jays at Minnesota Twins | Game 2 | 16:38 ET | ESPN
- Arizona Diamondbacks at Milwaukee Brewers | Game 2 | 19:08 ET | ESPN2
- Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies | Game 2 | 20:08 ET | ESPN
Thursday October 5
- Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays | Game 3 (if necessary) | 15:08 ET | ABC
- Toronto Blue Jays at Minnesota Twins | Game 3 (if necessary) | 16:38 ET | ESPN
- Arizona Diamondbacks at Milwaukee Brewers | Game 3 (if necessary) | 19:08 ET | ESPN2
- Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies | Game 3 (if necessary) | 20:08 pm ET | ESPN
Division Series
Saturday October 7
- Division Series American League A | Game 1
- Division Series American League B | Game 1
- Divisional Series National League A | Game 1
- Divisional Series National League B | Game 2
Sunday October 8
- Division Series American League A | Game 2
- Division Series American League B | Game 2
Monday October 9
- Divisional Series National League A | Game 2
- Divisional Series National League B | Game 2
Tuesday October 10
- Division Series American League A | Game 3
- Division Series American League B | Game 3
Wednesday October 11
- Divisional Series National League A | Game 3
- Divisional Series National League B | Game 3
- Division Series American League A | Game 4 (If necessary)
- Division Series American League B | Game 4 (If necessary)
Thursday October 12
- Divisional Series National League A | Game 4 (If necessary)
- Divisional Series National League B | Game 4 (If necessary)
Friday October 13
- Division Series American League A | Game 5 (If necessary)
- Division Series American League B | Game 5 (If necessary)
Saturday October 14
- Divisional Series National League A | Game 5 (If necessary)
- Divisional Series National League B | Game 5 (If necessary)
Championship Series
Sunday October 15
- American League Championship Series | Game 1
Monday October 16
- National League Championship Series | Game 1
- American League Championship Series | Game 2
Tuesday October 17
- National League Championship Series | Game 2
Wednesday October 18
- American League Championship Series | Game 3
Thursday October 19
- National League Championship Series | Game 3
- American League Championship Series | Game 4
Friday October 20
- National League Championship Series | Game 4
- American League Championship Series | Game 5 (If necessary)
Saturday October 21
- National League Championship Series | Game 5 (If necessary)
Sunday October 22
- American League Championship Series | Game 6 (If necessary)
Monday October 23
- National League Championship Series | Game 6 (If necessary)
- American League Championship Series | Game 7 (If necessary)
Tuesday October 24
- National League Championship Series | Game 7 (If necessary)
World Series
- Game 1 | At home of the best record of the 2023 regular round | Friday October 27
- Game 2 | At home of the best record of the 2023 regular round | Saturday October 28
- Game 3 | Monday October 30
- Game 4 | Tuesday October 31
- Game 5 | Wednesday, November 1 | If required
- Game 6 | At home of the best record of the 2023 regular round | Friday, November 3 | If required
- Game 7 | Saturday, November 4 | At home of the best record of the 2023 regular round | If required
Keep reading:
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· The legend says goodbye: Miguel Cabrera played his last game in the Major Leagues with the Detroit Tigers [Video]
· Tim Wakefield, Boston Red Sox legend, died just three days after learning of his brain cancer