There are eight championship contenders remaining in 2023, which means there are still 16 potential World Series matchups while waiting for the four Division Series to begin on Saturday.
Each one will offer an interesting story. But of course, some possibilities jump off the page more than others.
With that in mind, we gathered four MLB.com writers to identify eight of the most intriguing matchups still on the board (at least one for each team in the Division Series). . Here’s what they chose and why.
Team: Orioles
Opponent: Braves
Past World Series: None
This may seem like a chalk pick, but the reality is that the best-performing teams in each league have faced each other in the World Series less frequently in recent history. yeah. In the wild card era (1995 onwards), it has only happened four times: 1995 (ATL vs. CLE), 1999 (NYY vs. ATL), 2013 (BOS vs. STL), and 2020 (LAD vs. TB). .
The Braves have a core core of raw talent in Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley, Spencer Strider, and Max Fried, and have been strengthened by trades for star players like Matt Olson and Sean Murphy. They won the district title for six consecutive years and became a powerhouse in the National League. That’s the blueprint the current Orioles are trying to follow. Young players like Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Kyle Bradish, and Grayson Rodriguez lost 110 games just as Acuña, Albies and Co. changed the culture in Baltimore in a hurry. The team arrived two years ago. Braves in the late 2010s.
Team: Dodgers
Opponent: Astros
Past World Series: 2017 (HOU wins, 4-3)
Some people may groan at this matchup, and honestly, that’s understandable. After all, there’s no new blood here. The Dodgers are in their 11th straight postseason appearance and will be making their fourth World Series appearance since 2017. The Astros are aiming for a seventh consecutive American League Championship Series appearance, a fifth Fall Classic appearance and a chance to win a third ring. That span.
On the other hand, no other potential 2023 World Series matchup carries as much narrative weight. His two franchises have been big hits in recent years. Numerous star players and players who may be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the future. A well-known manager. Oh yeah, 2017 is all over the place. It’s true that the Astros are hardly among the teams that outscored the Dodgers by seven games in that year’s competitive Fall Classic, but the revelations of Houston’s illegal sign stealing only clouded that performance. But if you think that’s going to lower the temperature at Dodger Stadium for Game 1, you’re not paying attention. Simply put, none of the potential World Series on this list comes with more tension or tough emotions, and that’s what will captivate theaters.
Team: Phillies
Opponent: Orioles
Past World Series: 1983 (BAL won 4-1)
Imagine the atmosphere. On the other hand, let’s say he has a team of 30-year-old men who play so unbuttoned that the restaurant has the right to refuse service. On the other side are a bunch of 20-somethings celebrating like college kids. It’s going to be a World Series like we’ve never seen. Oh, and both teams finished with top-10 offenses, top-15 starting staffs, and the best bullpens in the league.
While the Orioles spent the entire regular season recruiting ready-to-play young players, Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos appear to have been developed for October. Oh, and don’t forget, these two ballparks are only 100 miles apart on Interstate 95, bringing some good old regional rivalry to every game.
Team: Braves
Opponent: Rangers
Past WS: None
You might call this the Ron Washington Series, but it’s interesting considering the Braves’ third base coach won two pennants in eight seasons as Rangers manager and ultimately won his first ring in Atlanta in 2021. Regardless of perspective, at the end of the day, it’s the matchup with the most offensive potential. Atlanta and Texas lead their respective leagues in runs per game, hits, home runs, batting average, and OPS, so you get the point.
No club’s offense is going to work on paper against the Braves’ hitters, and the Rangers stumbled badly down the stretch. But if you’re looking for a good matchup against the likes of Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Ozzie Abies, and Sean Murphy, who better than Corey Seager, Adris Garcia, Marcus Semien, and Jonah Haim? Probably not. (among other things).
Team: Astros
Opponent: D-backs
Past World Series: None
The D-backs are a team built around youth**, timely hitting, a staff led by two dynamic arms, and a solid but unglamorous bullpen. For Astros fans, this formula should sound familiar as it’s the same configuration they had at the start of the contention window. It’s not a one-to-one comparison, but there are similarities.
However, that doesn’t mean it still looks the same. Last year, the Astros reached the top of the mountain by getting as much as possible from veterans in the twilight of their careers while also making big hits from unproven players like Jeremy Pena. Perhaps they will try to use that formula to solve this year’s postseason equation with a roster roughly similar to last year’s. This is like a grumpy old neighbor telling his teenage neighbor to “shut down the noise,” and I’m ready for that.
Team: Twins
Opponent: Braves
Past World Series: 1991 (MIN won 4-3)
These two teams met in the World Series more than 30 years ago, and the Twins vs. Braves rematch will feature Kirby Puckett’s Game 6 heroics and the epic pitching of Jack Morris vs. John Smoltz. The album will contain many references to the 1990s, giving it a nostalgic feeling of the early 90s. But as far as the current matchup goes, there’s plenty of intrigue here as well.
On one side are the mighty Braves, who led the majors in RBIs (947) and had four players hit 30 or more home runs in 2023. On the other side are the Twins, who have top home run hitters. Max Kepler made only 24 deep dives. It’s not a fair fight by any means, but Minnesota’s pitching may have something to say about it. Only two teams allowed fewer runs (659) than the Twins during the regular season, and the Twins held the Blue Jays to just one run in two games in the Wild Card Series.
Team: Rangers
Opponent: Dodgers
Past World Series: None
There are all sorts of interesting connections here. Rangers star shortstop Corey Seager played for the Dodgers for many years. Seager was named MVP in both the NLCS and the World Series as the Dodgers launched into championship contention in 2020 and won their first title since 1988 — both at Globe Life Field in Texas (COVID-19). It was held on neutral ground (used during the season). Then there’s Clayton Kershaw, a Dodger and Dallas area resident. He has kept the door open as a pitcher with his hometown team in recent years before declaring his retirement. Oh, and don’t forget that there could be more Will Smith vs. Will Smith battles between Dodgers catchers and Rangers relievers in the postseason (see also 2020 and 2021 NLCS).
But other than that, this could just be an epic baseball series. Both teams have a dynamic duo (Seger-Semian and Betts-Freeman) who can stand in front of deep lineups and pound the ball into yards. Both teams have talented pitching staffs, but there are also many injuries and question marks. Will the Rangers win their first World Series, or will the Dodgers add to their trophy case?
Team: D-backs
Opponent: Orioles
Past World Series: None
Fair warning, this will be stressful. In this area, both Arizona and Baltimore stand out with their base running and timely hitting. The Orioles will lead MLB in baserunners in 2023 (+14). The D-backs finished third at +8. Each has the most valuable individual baserunner of the regular season, with Gunnar Henderson leading the way at +6 and Corbin Carroll tied for second at +5 (Carroll, in particular, also had 54 stolen bases). It’s been a while since a World Series was decided on the basepaths, but this could be the case.
There’s also a clutch gene if aggressive baserunning isn’t your thing. Baltimore tied for the most come-from-behind wins in regular season baseball (48 with Cincinnati). Arizona had 43 and he was fourth. Both clubs also ranked in the top five in team OPS in high leverage situations. Basically, this matchup has a pretty good chance of producing a memorable and damaging opponent. Who could say no to that?