MLB Wild Card Series 2023: News & Updates

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Chicago Cubs' Patrick Wisdom, right, celebrates with Seiya Suzuki, left, and Dansby Swanson after hitting a three-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Monday, April 17, 2023.
(AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Rachael Millanta @rachaelmillanta Jun 09, 2023, 5:13 AM
  • The Wild Card Series is the first round of the MLB Postseason.
  • In each league, Seed No. 3 hosts Seed No. 6, and Seed No. 4 hosts Seed No. 5.
  • The winners of this three-game series will advance to the Division Series.

The 2023 MLB playoffs will repeat the expanded format introduced last year, with 12 teams advancing to the postseason — six division winners plus three Wild Card teams from each of the two leagues.

The 2023 regular season runs from Thursday, Mar. 30 to Sunday, Oct. 1, with the postseason scheduled to begin with the Wild Card Series on Tuesday, Oct. 3.

How Are Wild Card Teams Chosen and How Does it Work?

After the regular season has concluded, the two division-winning teams in each league with the best records advance to the postseason as the top two seeds and receive a bye in the Wild Card Series. The third division-winning team of each league will move forward as the No. 3 seed.

After those teams have been seeded, the three teams in each league with the next highest regular-season records will advance as Wild Card teams. They will be assigned seed Nos. 4 to 6.

In the Wild Card Series, the No. 3 seed in each league will host their respective No. 6 seed in all games of a best-of-three series, and the No. 4 seed will host the same for the No. 5 seed.

Since seeds Nos. 1 and 2 get a bye from this round, they automatically progress to the Division Series.

AL Wild Card Standings

TEAMRECORD
Baltimore Orioles38-24
New York Yankees37-27
Houston Astros36-27
Toronto Blue Jays36-28
Los Angeles Angels34-30
Boston Red Sox31-32
Seattle Mariners30-31
Cleveland Guardians29-33
Chicago White Sox28-36
Detroit Tigers26-34
Kansas City Royals18-44
Oakland Athletics14-50

As of June 9, the Tampa Bay Rays (46-19), Minnesota Twins (31-32), and Texas Rangers (40-21) are leading their respective divisions, while the Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, and Houston Astros are holding onto the three AL Wild Card spots.

NL Wild Card Standings

TEAMRECORD
Los Angeles Dodgers36-27
Miami Marlins35-28
Pittsburgh Pirates32-29
San Francisco Giants32-30
Philadelphia Phillies30-32
New York Mets30-33
San Diego Padres 29-33
Cincinnati Reds29-34
Chicago Cubs26-36
St. Louis Cardinals26-37
Washington Nationals25-36
Colorado Rockies26-38

As of June 9, the Atlanta Braves (38-24), Arizona Diamondbacks (37-25), and Milwaukee Brewers (34-29) are leading their divisions, while the Los Angeles Dodgers (36-27), Miami Marlins (35-28), and Pittsburgh Pirates (32-29) are in line for the three NL Wild Card spots.

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About the Author

Rachael Millanta

Read More @rachaelmillanta

Rachael Millanta is a Web Content Writer for BetMGM focusing on Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League. Her work has been published in SB Nation, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, and Slackjaw Humor. Originally from Sydney, Australia, Rachael now resides in Chicago, Illinois.

Rachael Millanta is a Web Content Writer for BetMGM focusing on Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League. Her work has been published in SB Nation, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, and Slackjaw Humor. Originally from Sydney, Australia, Rachael now resides in Chicago, Illinois.