A fast hitter right here: at this time, MLB launched the schedule for the 2023 playoffs. It’s not precisely compelling studying; for essentially the most half, groups play a sequence of video games in opposition to one another, principally day by day aside from journey, similar to you anticipate. But the brand new 12-team playoff format continues to be contemporary, so let’s run down the related construction of the rounds simply as a reminder.
Wild Card Round
This one is similar as earlier than and can doubtless stay this manner for so long as this playoff format exists. The worst division winner and the three wild card groups in every league play (as much as) three straight video games, on the higher seed’s stadium, on three straight days, October 3–5. That signifies that numerous groups can be burning their finest three starters on this spherical, however there’s nothing new right here, so let’s transfer on.
Divisional Series
Last 12 months, the 2 leagues had totally different schedules, regardless of the identical wild card schedule, to keep away from days with no baseball in any respect. That similar basic construction is preserved this 12 months. The AL begins with two video games on October 7 and eight, then a journey day, then video games on the tenth and eleventh, one other journey day, and a possible Game 5 on the thirteenth. The NL is staggered in a different way: they begin with a recreation on the seventh adopted by a day without work, then have a recreation on the ninth adopted by a journey day, two straight video games on the eleventh and twelfth, and at last a journey day earlier than a possible Game 5.
This is a change from final 12 months, as each leagues have extra off-days baked into the schedule. In 2022, groups kind of had to make use of 5 starters in the event that they went the space within the wild card spherical. The 2022 NL schedule had just one off-day whole throughout the spherical, and whereas the AL schedule had two off-days, it closed with three video games in three days throughout two cities. With extra time because of the dearth of a lockout-impacted schedule, the remaining days have multiplied. An NL staff may use its three finest starters within the wild card spherical, a fourth starter in Game 1, after which its three finest starters once more in Games 2–4. Amazingly, its ace may come again for Game 5 on common relaxation; he’d be pitching on October 3, 9, and 14, hardly a strenuous schedule.
That gained’t work fairly as nicely within the AL, but it surely gained’t be a lot worse. An ace may pitch on October 3, 8, and 13, with 4 days of relaxation between every begin. Relative to final 12 months, this 12 months locations much less premium on depth and extra on top-end beginning pitching. Fifth starters, I’m sorry: your companies doubtless gained’t be required.
Championship Series
The ALCS schedule is sort of precisely what baseball followers are used to: two video games, a journey day, three video games, one other journey day, after which the final two video games. The NL schedule is similar, aside from the truth that it begins a day later. That double-travel-day setup means groups won’t ever play greater than three video games in a row, which implies a four-man rotation and shortened bullpen ought to work simply tremendous. This was not the case final 12 months, when each league schedules supplied for 5 straight video games with no journey day, once more due to the compressed timeline. The takeaway right here is similar: rotation depth is much less necessary than it was within the 2022 postseason.
World Series
No change to the usual World Series format, which mirrors this 12 months’s championship sequence format: two video games, a journey day, three video games, one other journey day, after which the final two video games. It’s the identical schedule we’re all used to, with all the identical implications for relaxation.
The broad takeaway: the schedule is returning to the rhythm of the playoffs from earlier than final 12 months (weirdo 2020 season excluded, naturally). Players can be extra rested, which I’m positive they’re in favor of. Games are nonetheless staggered to reduce days with out baseball. That’s about it; could the most effective staff win.
Content Source: blogs.fangraphs.com