Can the Atlanta Braves ride one of the best offenses in baseball history to a second World Series title in three years? Can the Dodgers overcome a litany of injuries and win a non-pandemic ring — and possibly send Clayton Kershaw off into the sunset? There’s plenty of intrigue up and down the wide-open National League playoff bracket. Here is a look at the six teams representing the NL in the 2023 MLB playoffs.
2023 MLB playoff seeding: National League
Atlanta has been a bit bumpier in the second half than their record suggests, largely because of a pitching staff with plenty of question marks — and Max Fried and Charlie Morton on the IL, though that was likely just to make sure they were healthy by the time the Division Series rolled around. Still, beyond Fried and Spencer Strider, there aren’t a ton of known quantities here, and the Braves’ pitching staff could eventually put them in a hole that even this Death Star of a lineup can’t dig out of.
The Dodgers weathered quite the storm to get here, including the suspension of Julio Urias, season-ending injuries to Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin and the news that Walker Buehler won’t make it back from Tommy John rehab in time to return this season. Still, here they are, with arguably the game’s best one-two punch in Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, a diminished but still formidable Kershaw and some young arms looking to make their own October legacy.
Milwaukee was impressive in holding off the Cubs in the NL Central, refusing to make it even a little bit interesting over the past week or two. Now the Brewers head to October, where no one will want to face the trio of Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta in a short series (not to mention closer Devin Williams in the late innings). It remains to be seen whether this team can score enough runs, but if you’re looking for a title dark horse, here it is.
Speaking of dark horses: Philly never quite hit top gear all season after last year’s magical run to an NL pennant, but the Phils will have home-field advantage in the Wild Card Round and still boast Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and a deep and dangerous lineup. There are questions about that lineup’s consistency, how much Nola has left in the tank and how much anyone can trust Craig Kimbrel, but this is not a team whose October devil magic you want to contend with.
Speaking of devil magic: What a week it’s been for the Marlins, who streaked all the way to the fifth seed in the NL playoffs thanks to a series of tight wins and improbable comebacks. Miami’s record and run differential this year scream regression, but anything goes in October, especially when you can run out the raw stuff of Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez and Edward Cabrera.
No one expected the Diamondbacks to be here, even if they backed in while getting swept by the Astros over the weekend. Still, Arizona has a potent top of the rotation in Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, and it’ll be a ton of fun watching Corbin Carroll get his feet wet in October. The Snakes will need Christian Walker, Ketel Marte and other vets to make up for a pitching staff that gets very sketchy very quickly.
