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The 2023 MLB postseason has been littered with upsets so far. The five teams with the best records in baseball are all out before the Championship Series rounds.
It has been a strange year for the favorites. The Houston Astros are the only team left in the playoffs that received a first-round bye. This has led to several baseball fans questioning the league's new format. The first-round bye teams were provided with a lengthy break to start the postseason, something which seems to have worked against them.
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Last night, the Atlanta Braves, the team with the best regular-season record were knocked out by the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phils finished the season with 14 fewer wins than the Braves.
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers were stunned by the Arizona Diamondbacks who swept their Southern California rivals.
The Baltimore Orioles (101 wins), Tampa Bay Rays (99 wins) and the Milwaukee Brewers (92 wins) have all been elimated before the final four round.
MLB fans took to social media to debate the playoff structure and whether it is the best way forward:
With many of the top teams exiting early this year, fans are frustrated with the playoff format.
In a recent piece on CBS Sports, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred stood up for the controversial structure:
"It's only Year 2. I'm sort of of the view you need to give something a chance to work out."
The three-game Wild Card series followed by a five-game Divison Series has definitely created excitement in the game.
It will be interesting to see whether the MLB sticks with the current layout in the coming years.
The Houston Astros are the only first-round bye team remaining in the MLB postseason
The Houston Astros seem to be the exception to the rule. The Astros received byes in the 2022 season and the 2023 season and seemed to have used it to their advantage.
Dusty Baker's side revived a bye after winning its division with 90 wins. Despite the long break, the Astros looked in control against a talented Minnesota Twins side. They won the series 3-1 to progress and face the Texas Rangers.
