Baseball may be America's national pastime from April to September, but it becomes the country's national obsession in October when the sport's top teams battle for the Commissioner's Trophy. This year is no exception, as the 2023 MLB Playoffs will feature a trio of dominant 100-win teams as well as a handful of plucky underdogs all gunning for the glory.
Not sure where to start? You've come to the right place! We have the postseason covered with MLB picks from our team of experts as well as the latest World Series Odds, with World Series MVP odds to follow when that market materializes. Dig into our full playoff primer below and bookmark this page to stay on top of the latest developments from around the diamond in the MLB playoff bracket.
2023 World Series schedule
| Date | Matchup | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, October 27 | Game 1: Arizona at  Texas |
8:03 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, October 28 | Game 2: Arizona at Texas |
8:03 p.m. ET |
| Monday, October 30 | Game 3: Texas at Arizona |
8:03 p.m. ET |
| Tuesday, October 31 | Game 4: Texas at Arizona |
8:03 p.m. ET |
| Wednesday, November 1 | Game 5: Texas at Arizona |
8:03 p.m. ET |
| Friday, November 3 (if necessary) | Game 6: Arizona at Texas |
8:03 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, November 4 (if necessary) | Game 7: Arizona at Texas |
8:03 p.m. ET |
2023 World Series odds
The Texas Rangers have, at long last won the World Series. After the franchise's beginnings in 1961 as the Washington Senators, the club only saw one winning season before being relocated to Texas prior to the 1972 season. And even then, it was a long journey to even play a game in October, first appearing in the postseason tournament in 1996. The Rangers made the World Series in back-to-back years in 2010 and 2011, losing both times with the latter one coming in crushing fashion following a stunning St. Louis Cardinals comeback in Game 6 before the death knell in Game 7.
Since then, the Rangers hadn't won a postseason series and even lost 102 games just two seasons ago before a roster reset and investment in big names like Corey Seager and Marcus Semien signified a change. And so, even with injuries to Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, and Adolis Garcia, the Rangers stormed through the 2023 postseason to claim their first championship.
The question once the dust settles is whether or not this will be a one-off or the start of a dynastic run.
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2023 World Series prediction
Texas Rangers (+320 at bet365) *bet made prior to ALCS
There's a saying in every sport that defense wins champions. In baseball, this means defending the field and not making errors, but more importantly, getting great pitching from the starting rotation and out of the bullpen.
The Rangers, despite being without Max Scherzer and Jacob de Grom, have been getting solid starting pitching from unsung heroes like Nathan Eovaldi and Jordan Montgomery, the latter of whom was acquired at the trade deadline.
Even the bullpen, which was a disaster for much of the middle part of the season, has figured it out and has shut down good-hitting opposition like the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles.
If the Rangers can continue to pitch above their heads and continue to mash the baseball every chance they get and put up five-plus runs per game, they are going to be a tough out for any team in a seven-game series.
At this price, with either Houston or Minnesota waiting in the wings, I like their chances.
World Series facts & figures
- The first World Series was played in 1903 between the Boston Americans and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
- The New York Yankees have won the most World Series titles, with 27 championships.
- The longest World Series game in history lasted 18 innings and took place in 2018 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox. By contrast, the shortest World Series game in history lasted only 51 minutes in 1919 between the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago White Sox.
- The most home runs hit by a player in a single World Series is five. The record is jointly held by George Springer (2017), Chase Utley (2009), and Reggie Jackson (1977).
- Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals holds the record for the most strikeouts in a single World Series game with 17 in 1968.
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World Series Odds FAQs
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the current betting favorites with the Altanta Braves and New York Yankees next in line.
The Texas Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games to win the 2023 World Series.
The World Series has been a best-of-seven series with a 2-3-2 format since 1922.
Since 2017, home-field advantage has been awarded to the team with the better winning percentage in the regular season.
The cash-strapped Florida Marlins entered the 2003 season with +7,500 odds to win it all after finishing four games below .500 the year before. Oddsmakers seemed to be right as the club got off to a sluggish 16-22 start, but a managerial change and some inspired play led to a second half surge and the Fish downed the heavily-favored Yankees in six games in the Fall Classic.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have the best odds to win the 2024 World Series, followed by the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, and Houston Astros.
